Hi all

[Sneddle]

New to the site, not new to prepping. I "kept extra just in case" before covid hit, then lockdown sharpened my focus. One spare torch became three, a spare pack of loo roll became a multipack from the wholesalers, etc.

Now I'm looking to fill the gaps in my knowledge (and stores!) and maybe share some of what I've learned along the way.

Sned.

[Frnc]

Hi Sned, welcome to the forum. I'm pretty similar - upped my prepping after Covid started. I knew pandemic was one of the most likely scenarios to prep for before Covid though. So I had masks and gloves already.
Some people on here don't bother with bugout bags, but I have one. I'm a bit of a light weight specialist, as I used to do backpacking and climbing. Winter 3-7 day bugout bag is about 12.5 kg.
I'm also interested in wild edible plants (and fungi if I could find any!) There are loads. Even bug-in, they would be useful once your stocks ran out, or to prolong your stocks.
I tried growing veg this year but was only successful with peas. Will try again next year.
Also interested in combining the two, ie growing edible 'weeds'. Only downside is an unkept garden looks like you are on holiday to burglars.

[Arzosah]

Hello Sned, welcome to the forum - you'll fit right in with that focus on that sort of prep. Headtorches are a bit de rigueur with some of us though, rather than hand held I've only got one, and I've lost it, currently

Seriously, welcome! Speaking of gaps in stores - how are you for water? And heat? Good on you, in any case.

[bobble]

Welcome from Merseyside!

[Frnc]

Headtorches are a bit de rigueur with some of us though, rather than hand held I've only got one, and I've lost it, currently

Have you checked it's not on your head? I keep things like that in a set place, always. One on the bedpost, one on cellar door, one in bugout bag. Also got a hand torch I can grab while in bed.

[jansman]

Welcome to the forum.

[Sneddle]

Thank you for the welcome.

We've only recently been put onto mains gas, running rhe boiler off 47kg gas bottles before now. We still have four spare left over, which we kept rather than get rid of. Heating should be fine all winter. We have a few CO alarms dotted about, but I recently got a proper detector from Amazon that goes down to 0ppm. The others only start showing you the ppm at 30ppm. Someone who smokes breathed out a mouthful of smoke onto it, and it shot up to ~200ppm.

At least I can be sure it works.

It will come in handy if I end up having to use the calor heater this winter. Like with a lot of things, it's the dose that makes the poison. Being exposed to 200ppm of CO for a few seconds didn't seem to do much, if any, harm. Apparently a low dose over a long period is as harmful as a higher dose over a shorter period. Either way, the last thing I want to do is die.

[jennyjj01]

New to the site, not new to prepping. I "kept extra just in case" before covid hit, then lockdown sharpened my focus. One spare torch became three, a spare pack of loo roll became a multipack from the wholesalers, etc.

Now I'm looking to fill the gaps in my knowledge (and stores!) and maybe share some of what I've learned along the way.

Sned.

hi Sned and welcome from Cheshire.
Lots of good info here. Don't be shy.
As Frnc says, we are not generally big on bugging out, but when it comes to predicting future needs, who's to judge.
As Arzosa says, headlamps are handy. Check out the ones from Poundland.
I look forward to reading your contributions

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

[GillyBee]

Welcome Sneddle. As already said, have a look around and feel free to ask questions.