The government this week advised Brits to prepare three days of essentials, including food and water, in case of an official emergency. The Be Ready campaign is designed to deal with scenarios ranging from extreme weather to a cyber attack.
One such scenario has already tested the UK, as on Thursday night, almost 7,000 Brits were left without power in the midst of Storm Austen. Other European countries have long been prepping for such situations, including Finland, which has been stockpiling essential goods, vaccines, seeds, fuel and grains. The country's agriculture minister, Sari Essayah, has also said it must be able to survive independently if something happens. France, Ireland and the Netherlands have also issued similar advice.
Angela Rayner's Surprising Pick
Now, there's an unofficial addition to any essential prepper kit – and the recommendation has come straight from Angela Rayner herself. The housing secretary shared a relatable item she'd include in her own emergency stockpile, which wasn't a tin of tuna, but a bottle of Savvy B. When questioned on the key items she'd include in her own prepper kit, Angela said 'mascara, concealer and a bottle of sauvignon blanc.'
She told Times Radio last month she'd also include a tin of baked beans and a tin of custard, for good measure. However, Prime Minister Andy Burnham wasn't quite so on board, as he jokingly rebutted Angela's advice for anyone planning ahead. In an interview this week, he laughed off Angela's list, as he said he wasn't 'sure that was at the top of the list in terms of advice.'
Public Reactions and Essential Kit Items
According to Sky News, he said: 'You need to have a clear head when it comes to a challenging situation, so yeah, some tins of food, bottled water, maybe. But I'm sure people are allowed a glass or two as well to get them through a difficult situation.' While Andy might have other ideas, plenty of Brits have related to Angela's checklist. On Instagram, @sophiesanders1986 said, 'it's ok, I got 12, not one,' while @shirleygoinden described it as a 'clear message for me to go upmarket and revert to Chardonnay.'
'People are "allowed" to have whatever tf they want. If that's wine, followed by champagne, washed down with gin, so be it,' @jocarson506 added, while @tim.tok35 said they were going to put a '12-pack' into their own kit. They wrote, 'If anyone wants to have good final moments during the end of the world, please be my guest,' while @katieeed22 said she was on 'Ange's side,' as 'sometimes a Savvy B is the only thing that keeps me going.' Meanwhile, @lunar.angel.m2a summed it all up, writing, 'If the world's ending I wanna be f***ed up when it hits, not sipping tea.'
What to Pack in Your Grab Bag
The government's campaign has a comprehensive list of everything that you should be packing in your grab bag. First up is a wind-up or battery-powered torch, which is safer than using candles. This can be useful in the event of power cuts too, even if you don't need to leave your home. In the same wheelhouse, you'll need to pack a portable power bank to charge your phone, and a battery-powered or wind-up radio. This will allow you to follow government updates, as Uswitch research found 26.7 million people lost their broadband connection in the past year, with power cuts overtaking provider faults as the main cause of outages.
Spare batteries for all of the above will also be important to pack, and you should consider backup batteries in case you have any medical equipment that needs powering. The UK government has recommendations for an emergency kit, and this list includes a first aid kit. The guidance recommends stocking it with, at a minimum, waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings and gloves, medical tape for dressings, and tweezers. If you rely on medication, you'll also need to prepare 'several days' worth, and if you use medical devices or specialist equipment, you'll need to keep both a paper copy of the instructions and spare batteries, all charged up.
Dr Penelope Sheehan, GP at Medical Express Clinic, previously gave a few extra recommendations for an emergency first aid kit. Dr Penelope told Metro the first item you need inside your kit is plasters, and in several sizes, since a toddler's knee and an adult's finger will require different types. Next, it's sterile gauze dressings, again, in various sizes. These are for 'wounds too big for a plaster,' and Dr Penelope says 'sterile packaging matters because it stops you introducing bacteria into a fresh wound.' Wound closure strips are next on the list, and these are 'for a clean cut that gapes slightly but is not deep enough to need stitches.' The intention is to hold it together while it heals.
