Prepared for winter?

[tpals]

Although forecasts always seem to get it wrong, it doesn't hurt to be ready.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/443462 ... ast-for-UK

[emordnilap]

What kind of snow will it be?

[SleeperService]

What ever kind falls it'll be the 'Wrong type'!

[adam2]

Yes, prepared for all but the most unlikely events.

At home in London
5 blankets either on the bed, or stored adjacent ready for immediate use.
More blankets in reserve.
Long underwear to hand, 6 tops and 6 bottoms in ready use clothing cupboard, and more in reserve stock.
Oil lamps cleaned and checked, ample oil in stock.
Oil heater ready for use if needed.
12 volt electric blanket ready for preheating bed
Old fashioned electric bed warmer, ditto.
Plenty of torches and lanterns, with 100+ spare batteries.
Plenty of cheap fleece jackets available*
Usual stocks of general, not winter specific stores.

At work in London
Several complete changes of warm clothing including long underwear
Candles, oil lamps, and oil (well hidden)
Torches, battery lanterns, and 100+ spare batteries.
A couple of blankets
Spare electric heaters and heavy duty extension leads.
Large UPS with extended run time battery.
And other doomer supplies that are not specificly for winter.
Plenty of cheap fleece jackets*
Hexamine cooker and mess tins
Self heating emergency tinned food.

At Mothers home in the West country.
4 tons of fire wood
100L parrafin
500 KG of candles
A large UPS unit with extended run time battery
12 oil lamps
Oil cook stove
A dozen spare blankets, in addition to those on my bed
Plenty of cheap fleece jackets *
Large supplies of torches, lanterns and the like
About 200 spare batteries.
Usual doomer stocks that are not specificly for winter
Large supplies of long underwear and other warm clothing.

*large numbers are needed, one to leave on the bus, one to leave in the pub, one to leave on the train, one for the cat to sleep on, one to leave in the restaurant, one for the other cat, etc, etc.

[clv101]

Although forecasts always seem to get it wrong, it doesn't hurt to be ready.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/443462 ... ast-for-UK

It's generally a good idea to ignore everything the Express prints. Rule is double true when weather is involved, triple true when "Vantage Weather Services" and "Exacta Weather" are cited.

They run snowstorm stories every winter and heatwave stories every sumner 'cos it sells papers, not because of any meteorological knowledge.

Met Office responded with this blog: http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/2013 ... headlines/
"What the Daily Express has failed to explain to its readers is that there is absolutely no certainty about what weather the UK will see over the winter period. The science simply does not exist to make detailed, long-term forecasts for temperature and snowfall even for the end of November, let alone for the winter period..."

[RenewableCandy]

That's as may be, but I have Russian thermals and I Know No Fear...

[tpals]

adam2 - How do you keep so much at work?

[boisdevie]

Here in Northern France we have snow every winter and sometimes it can be quite impressive - none of that nancy stuff that you southerners have. So I'm prepared:

Shedloads of duvets, hot water bottles, thermal underwear, firewood, candles, torches, about 200l of water in the barn in bottles, another 2000l of drinkable water outside. So bring it on.

And I have fleeces too.

[adam2]

adam2 - How do you keep so much at work?

Tis one of the perks of being a maintenance engineer. This job requires the stocking of large quantities of replacement lamps, air filters, other spares, tools and test equipment.
Tools and test equipment of my own are kept locked up against theft, and no one is likely to know or care if some of these are mainly doomer supplies. A large knife is not something to carry around without very good reason, but is OK in a locked tool cupboard.
A Geiger counter or two are kept with other test instruments and attract no attention.
Alkaline batteries are much cheaper by the 100, and I volunteer to arrange the purchasing of these for other buildings, thereby rotating my own stock.
The servicing and repair/replacement of emergency lighting equipment is an important part of the job, and I take care to keep plenty of replacement batteries to hand.

It is advisable to keep a few torches and lanterns to hand for electrical breakdowns, and maybe some spares.

It is important to be cleanly and neatly dressed at work, despite the work sometimes being dirty. It is therefore sensible to keep several changes of clothing to hand. Likewise a well polished pair of safety shoes should be available for meetings etc, and some old ones for rough work. One might find that these need replacement, and therefore have a new pair that have not yet been worn.
Often one gets so dirty as to need a shower at work, one therefore needs a bath towel, or two, and changes of underwear.

Twice a year or so, I turn off all the water in the building in order that the water systems may be chlorinated. It is important to keep a supply of bottled drinking water for such circumstances, there is a legal requirement to provide drinking water in the workplace. Normally this is satisfied by having mains tap water available. Bottled water is a reasonable alternative during maintenance shutdowns.

I sometimes have to work overnight, when local cafes and the like are shut, so it is reasonable to keep a modest supply of tinned food for myself or colleagues. Not knowing their tastes, it seems sensible to keep a selection. (I may have overdone the food a bit, I really must get around to taking some home)

The camp bed and the blankets do not really belong at work, they are there "short term, I keep forgetting to take them home" if anyone asks, which no one has.

Other less bulky doomer supplies all fit into one renta crate, chlorine tablets, chlorine test papers, lifeboat rations, candles, matches, hurricane lamps, gas mask, glow sticks, and so on.

Paraffin should not really be stored at work, but I have some in a forgotten and seldom visited external storage area. In the unlikely event that anyone finds it I would deny ownership and accept the risk of loss, it is only £20 worth.

EDITED long after the original post. The above was true when posted, but since then I have been made redundant, and moved to Somerset

[snow hope]

Very wise and sensible precautions Adam. It is sensible to ensure you are ready for all eventualities.....

[ujoni08]

I always think I'm well prepared and stocked, until Adam2 lists his stocks

[woodburner]

If everyone stocked up like Adam2, there would be shortages of

Other less bulky doomer supplies all fit into one renta crate, chlorine tablets, chlorine test papers, lifeboat rations, candles, matches, hurricane lamps, gas mask, glow sticks, and so on.

not to mention paraffin, thermals, blankets, batteries, fleeces, firewood. He's got half a tonne of candles ffs!

[boisdevie]

I always think I'm well prepared and stocked, until Adam2 lists his stocks

Yeah but I bet he hasn't got a tin foil hat like me.

[adam2]

Until recently I had no idea of the total weight of my candle stocks, but prompted by another thread I decided to weigh them !

10 crates each containing about 50 KG

[snow hope]

I have a stock of paracetemol and nurofen tablets and was recently told to catch myself on and to stop buying them.....

Adam - catch yourself on and stop buying candles!!