What if...

[Nix]

...El Nino and/or North Atlantic cold does bring one of the hardest winters on record resulting in prolonged blackouts and conditions resulting in shops closing down and transport meltdown.

Ok, so just about everybody will have their shelter in the form of their home, food stores for at least a month and, hopefully, alternative heating (don't forget that if the grid goes down, gas central heating won't work!).

So, how about (in no particular order):

- Power - are you going to need it? If so, how are you going to get it?
- Transport - if you have to go out (& why would you?) - how are you going to do it?
- Money - got spare cash in case card machines are down?
- Water - what if your pipes freeze? If you then rely on snow/ice, what are you going to do to melt it and make it safe?
- Communications - if the phone line goes down, sure, you've got your mobile but what happens when you flatten the battery?
- Livestock/pets - can you look after your critters? What happens if your dog/cat needs to take a dump and there's three foot of snow outside?
- Cooking - have you got alternative methods of cooking yourself & loved ones a hot meal? Will it be safe? Have you catered for not needing an oven/stove?
- Lighting - everyone's got candles but have you got enough?
- Neighbours - some of us may look fairly cosy with our preps so others may notice and come a knocking, that ok with you?
- Entertainment - especially those with kids, sitting around inside the house for days on end will try anyones patience, got a plan?
- The vulnerable ie elderly parents/babies/disabled - can you cope?
- Medications - got enough for those who need it?
- Sanitation - hey, what if there's a failure with the sewer system or no water on tap for flushing? Would you even know how to flush without mains?
- Weather/Storm damage - what you going to do if you need to get into repair mode, got the tools and equipment?
- Scum chancing their luck - got security/deterrent/protection?
- News updates - how are you going to keep tabs with what's happening and any further warnings?
- Emergencies - what happens if a loved one gets sick or slips and breaks a bone?

The list goes on and on but I'm hoping that someone will throw something into the equation that hasn't even entered my head yet so I can deal with it.

[NorthernRaider]

One point about modern fuels is they freeze at higher temps than old fuels, even diesel, it used to start waxing up and crystalising about about minus 20 but now it starts at minus 12 so you may need to add a splash of petrol or kerosene to diesel if its really cold.

[River Song]

Thanks Nix. It's good to remind ourselves of the basics again

[Straight Shooter]

As a lad,it was always drummed into me to prepare for bad weather, especially winter...the lead up was always busy....Roofs were first up, checking slates..loose crests and chimney stacks...chimneys swept.....outside loo the oil lamp was filled ready to stop the pipes from freezing up....any suspect shaft on the shovels were changed....chopped stick and plenty of it ( my job ) coal buckets filled and set by the back door (my job)....curtains hung by the front and back doors......any fallen limbs were searched out ...cut with a bow saw and barrow d home.....me and my brothers....preserves ,pickled onions,root veg were stored ....tools were cleaned and oiled up....any and all.....the cold water header tank was given a winter coat....straw tied with twine ...all around and on top....the dedicated pantry was always full , but now you could hardly get in there...four huge sacks of potatoes were put into stock.....spare batteries were charged up......the oil stove was filled in the garage so the car could be started in the dead of winter, first aid kit (if you could call them that ) were stocked up ....even splints ...the iodine bottle was filled....socks .....lots of socks....pullovers....thick blankets, and ground mulched and dressed with muck ...some veg left was protected and kept for Christmas, meat was cured and hung on hooks .....so nothing has changed NIX ....i still carry out the routine and always have and always will....we were all preppers then.....even before it became popular.....by sheer necessity of survival.

[Nix]

That's a really good "way back when" list SS, not many will even know half of what you've listed there! Not sure prepping's ever become popular, if anything, modern society is more and more non-prep, relying on the convenience shop and Govt services to look after them in any bad event.

One thing which did strike me after posting, if anything happened to me, my family would SERIOUSLY struggle. I mean, I take care of everything so if I'm compromised in any way, they're likely to be snookered.

Got to rethink one or three things...

[Straight Shooter]

Same here Nix ....but the one SIL is now on the case...being wiped into shape right now.....he,s going to be GOOD at it ...i am certain of that....he is plan B ....just he,s not aware of it ....YET.

[Mortblanc]

Didn't the worst winter ever happen last year, and the year before that, and the year before that ?

http://forum.survivaluk.net/showthread.php?tid=7377

Seems to me winter comes each year, and each of them seems to be the worst winter ever.

But I suppose that everyone needs a reminder that winter is coming, can't keep up with that sort of thing well since they fenced off Stonehenge.

[Straight Shooter]

Yes your right MB.....worst in a decade blar blar ...this year its because of el shiteo.....But....its foolish not to prepare for it....1962 i remember well ...nothing like it since ...that is what i call a hard winter...and long....if we have the same as that....that will empty some prepper shelving ....easy....very easy.

[Straight Shooter]

Just a thought.....most central heating systems that are powered by gas have a pressurized system....so if your cold mains supply freezes up, you will not be able to re pressurize your system...if you have a vented system (header tank) you are okay ....push come to shove you can manually fill the tank...gravity does the rest....i have both !.......lucky me....NO...not at all....its called being prepared.

[NorthernRaider]

Compared to years gone past like 63/64 and those in the 70s houses have changed beyond all recognition, and that in itself creates a problem. If we had Barneys friends hitting us with power cuts back then we may have been sitting in the dark but the central heating kept us warm. But these days most central heating boilers no longer have thermocouple / pilot light regulated ignition, these days they are electronically ignited so if the leccy goes off so does the gas central heating.