A retired Royal Navy commodore has disclosed the emergency supplies he keeps at home, as the UK government advises citizens to stock up on essentials amid warnings of potential conflict.
Government Advice and Stockpiling Essentials
The government has urged Britons to prepare for emergencies by keeping nine litres of water per person—enough for three days—alongside non-perishable food such as tinned meat, vegetables, or dried fruit. Additional recommendations include hand sanitiser, wet wipes, toiletries, pet food, baby supplies, a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio, a torch, blankets, a charged power bank, cash, a first aid kit, and copies of important documents.
Commodore (Ret’d) Steve Prest, a RUSI associate fellow, told the Express that he and his wife maintain a few days' worth of essential provisions, which they routinely rotate, along with basic emergency equipment.
Commodore Prest's Emergency Stash
Prest's supplies include tins of beans, pasta, cereal, and other items. He noted that when they purchase new tins, the latest ones replace older stock in their stash. He also keeps a solar-powered, wind-up radio with an integrated torch, general camping gear such as a camping stove, and bottled water.
Prest said: "We have taken some modest [measures] — I'm not ready to live off-grid for months — but modest practical measures, just to see us through any sort of emergency."
Security Minister's Call for Preparedness
Security minister Dan Jarvis said: "Those who can follow this advice should follow this advice. By taking simple steps to be ready for everyday emergencies like severe storms, people can reduce pressure on emergency services, helping them prioritise people who need more support in an emergency."
Jarvis added: "This is just the sort of community-focused campaign the UK needs to improve our resilience as a nation. It will bring us into line with European counterparts, where advice like this is a normal part of everyday life."
Risk of Conflict with Russia
Prest said the risk of war against Russia is the greatest it has been since the height of the Cold War, and "in many ways, certainly a confrontation" with Moscow is already taking place. He added that attacks on the UK mainland are an "entirely plausible situation" if Britain gets "caught up in a NATO conflict".
The expert also fears Britons are not fully aware of the possibility of war, similar to the attitude of the government and public before the COVID-19 pandemic. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has warned that the UK and NATO must prepare for the possibility of war in 1,000 days.
