The Middle East Situation- practicalities for a UK prepper

[itsybitsy]

What should we be doing in the UK to ready ourselves for a likely prolonged situation of unrest and a possible escalation to other countries in the region?

This could obviously cause a disruption of the Suez shipping channels or/and oil production. I don't know what I should be doing really, except ensuring that my petrol tank is full!

I appreciate that at this moment in time the situation is fluid to say the least and, really, anything could happen - or not? But I'd like to canvas opinion on what you guys think that UK preppers should be doing right NOW, in practical terms. For example, should we be preparing for possible oil/gas shortages - and if so what do we do? Should those of us who use piped gas for cooking be buying extra gas canisters for camping stoves?

[Panther]

Yes indeed, extra gas cylinders for the camping stoves. Maybe also an old primus stove or two (there are usually some for sale on ebay) plus a supply of paraffin. If you have a charcoal barbeque plenty of extra charcoal for that might be handy as well. Paraffin lamps and tilly lamps are a good backup for lighting. If you are able to have open fires or a wood burner fitted then it's a great form of heating but failing that some paraffin heaters are again a good back up. Always try to have one or two backup methods of heating, lighting and cooking, you never know when you'll need them.

[itsybitsy]

Not forgetting that many of us will be on a limited budget...

[Carrot Cruncher]

A good and timely post itsy, there is nothing we can do about the situation in north africa or the middle east but we can take steps to prepare for the possible outcomes

Just a few things that spring to mind

Fuel for transport is the obvious thing, keep a full tank and a few Jerry Cans full of fuel if you have somewhere safe to store them. There are regulations on how much petrol you store and you might also need to add a fuel stablizer incase it is not used for a while.

Look for alternative methods of transport to work etc, can you use a pushbike, walk etc. If you use buses or trains can you buy a season ticket now to hedge against price increases. Sort out car sharing options, there are plenty of websites for that these days

Cooking and Heating can be covered by Calor bottles, the price of them may increase but at least you will have them in stock if the mains supply is disrupted

Can you keep your car in a secure place ? If fuel prices rocket, syphoning of tanks will increase

And none of the above takes into account the millions of products and services that are dependant directly or indirectly on oil

[itsybitsy]

If prices continue to increase I will put my car in the garage and cycle to work.

Can I store 5 litres of petrol in my garage?

I've got my eye on some tilley lamps on Ebay. Does anyone use these? Are they easy to repair/replace bits? Some of the lamps that are for sale need mantles. I'm really not good at this sort of thing!!!

[lone wolf]

spring / summer just around the corner Itsy so we wont have as much to worry about regarding heating... hopefully.

This could have kicked off back in the autumn of 2010 and built up resulting in higher costs over the winter months (remember the cold snow weather we had)

I have and always will work on the basis of storing as much tinned food as poss using a good variety of corned beef, potatoes, beans, rice, etc...you guys dont need me telling you...sorry, but its just my way of planning,

The camping gas canisters has got to be worth storing as a way of heating food, i also bought a small gas heater from Go Outdoors which uses the same cannister, so thats a plus

Stay positive and focused, and keep storing if you can Itsy, little bits here and there

Lone Wolf

[Carrot Cruncher]

Can I store 5 litres of petrol in my garage?

From here http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/ ... m/faqs.htm

What is the limit of the amount of petrol I can store for domestic use?
The Petroleum Spirit (Motor Vehicles etc.) Regulations 1929 and the Petroleum Spirit (Plastic Containers) Regulations 1982 limit the amount of petrol that can be kept in a domestic garage or within six metres of a building (e.g. most domestic driveways). The limit is a maximum of two suitable metal containers each of a maximum capacity of ten litres or two plastic containers (which have to be of an approved design) each of a maximum capacity of five litres. These limits also apply to any containers kept in a vehicle parked in the garage or on the driveway (but not to the internal fuel tank of the vehicle). Under no circumstances should the petrol containers be stored in the home itself.

Anyone who wishes to store larger quantities than this, or use larger containers, is required to notify the local Petroleum Licensing Authority (PLA) and to store the petrol in a prescribed manner set out in the 1929 Regulations mentioned above - enquirers who want further details should contact their local PLA. Storage of more than 275 litres (60 gallons) of petrol requires a petrol licence - again, contact the local PLA.

[itsybitsy]

I'm going to get an extra 10 lites in a jerry can and store it in the garden - I'll hide it where the bins are.

[the-gnole]

We have a conversion kit for our gas hob, we have a diesel generator for our electric, we have food in the cupboards, I cannot cycle to work or use a bus as I have to be mobile for jobs anywhere from Worcester to Taunton with all my tools and materials.

I went to Diesel because the restrictions on storage are less than for petrol, after all some heating systems run on Diesel fuel and they can have 1000 gallon tanks in the gardens.

I have paraffin lamps, I have Tilley lamps, we have hundreds of candles, we have camping stoves and other camping equipment, we have ten 20ltr jerry cans for diesel, we have twenty 20ltr jerry cans for water and several ways of filtering it.

Will we get more food and other supplies in, a little I guess, but we won't be going daft.

[diamond lil]

I've got two coal bunkers full but want more - only nowhere to keep it. Is amazing how fast it goes down. Got 2 years worth of calor gas cylinders for the cooker so that's ok. But if coal shoots up in price I'd be struggling.
Got car+bike+pushbikes but bike off road for the winter and we're miles from anywhere so wont be cycling We have already cut down how often we go out.
Wonder how long it will be until the supermarkets put up the cost of online deliveries...
I need candles, dono where has them cheap. I've got paraffin lamps hiding in a shed somewhere. I'm scared of pressure lamps