The UK Government is intensifying preparations for national emergencies this winter, with a nationwide campaign set to launch to ensure households are ready for potential challenges brought by El Niño. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said he wants to guarantee communities are as resilient as possible, acknowledging there are likely to be "a number of challenges" confronting the nation this winter.
Only 13% of households feel prepared
The campaign follows an official survey revealing only 13 per cent of people believe their household is largely or totally prepared for a disaster. It will inform people about essential supplies they should store in the cupboard, such as a battery or wind-up torch, bottles of water and tins of non-perishable food.
When asked whether people should be concerned about El Niño, which could heighten the risk of storms this autumn and winter, Mr Jarvis said: "Well, it's been quite a tough summer. The prime minister has made a commitment to do a wildfire summit and we'll be honouring that commitment. I think we have to be prepared for the winter. We'll see what weather comes, but on the balance of probabilities, there will be a number of challenges that we have to face over the course of this coming winter."
Strongest El Niño on record
Scientists have declared the El Niño climate phenomenon is now the strongest on record, raising concerns over increased rainfall and storms this autumn, cold snaps in late winter, and potential disruption to global food supply chains.
Mr Jarvis commented: "The campaign will make sure that there is a much greater understanding of the kind of really sort of simple, low-level things that everybody can do in their own household to make sure that they are as resilient as possible, and that resilience at a local level gives us a much greater resilience at a regional and then at a national level as well."
Resilience as a pillar of Labour conference speech
Resilience is set to be a major pillar of Andy Burnham's speech at the Labour conference next week, reports state. Mr Jarvis revealed that the Government is pushing forward to ensure the correct plans and resources are in place, while also encouraging the public to "do their bit and be involved".
On the campaign itself, he stated: "We need to make sure that the messaging is simple and catchy and I'm keen that we capture the public's imagination."
Emergency kit full list
- Battery or wind-up torch - torches are considered safer than candles.
- Portable power bank for charging your mobile phone.
- Battery or wind-up radio to get updates in the event of a power cut. A car radio can be used, however in severe weather it might be safer to stay inside.
- Spare batteries for torches and radio and a backup battery for any medical equipment you rely on.
- A first aid kit including items like waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings and gloves, medical tape for dressings, and tweezers.
- Hand sanitiser and wet wipes for hygiene purposes when the water is off.
- Bottled water – there is no standard figure for this as emergencies can vary in duration and people use different amounts. A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended by the World Health Organisation for survival.
- Non-perishable food that doesn't need cooking - such as ready-to-eat tinned meat, fruit or vegetables (and a tin opener). As with water, how much you need will vary based on your own circumstances. Don't forget food for pets.
- Baby supplies such as nappies and baby formula, ready made or 'ready-to-feed' formula is best as you may not be able to boil water or sterilise bottles.
For more information on how to prepare for emergencies, visit the Government's website.
