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Independent readers have shared their own “soft prepping” tips and experiences, as concerns about war, energy security and potential blackouts prompt some to think more seriously about how they would cope in a crisis.
Several commenters focused on the limits of state support arguing that, in large-scale emergencies, authorities are likely to be overstretched, leaving households to fend for themselves for longer than many expect.
Others pointed to vulnerabilities in modern life, warning that heavy reliance on apps, mobile networks and digital infrastructure could quickly become a weakness if power or internet access is lost.
Many used the discussion to swap practical advice – from storing water and long-life food to investing in generators, solar panels, wind-up radios and backup power sources – often framing it as a sensible precaution rather than alarmism.
However, not everyone was convinced, with a few questioning how realistic true self-reliance would be in densely populated societies, and whether survival ultimately depends more on community than individual preparation.
Here’s what you had to say:
We can’t rely on the authorities
All sensible advice... the big lesson around the world is that, in the event of a large – or even medium – scale disaster, the authorities will be unable to provide support for quite a long time. That's just reality, even in first world countries.
One thing I would add:
Anything that runs on an app will fail if there's a power or internet outage.
One of our friends with solar panels discovered that the hard way, so we need to have alternatives for that scenario, too.
My set-up is dual use
Recently the Red Cross in Belgium (and presumably elsewhere in Europe) has said that it has changed its policy. It says people have got too used to the government taking care of everything, but in case of a large-scale calamity, they can't be everywhere at the same time. The Red Cross says people have to be self-reliant for a longer period of time because, in case of a large-scale calamity, the Red Cross will focus on the vulnerable.
Security analysts consistently say that the highest risk for Europe – and it isn't a theoretical risk but a real one that is considered to be high – is that the grid is taken down with a combination of cyber attacks and sabotage. This would cause maximum chaos and make countries ungovernable.
Both Nato and the EU have been taking measures aimed at increasing public resilience. If people are prepared for any kind of calamity, it increases the strength of our deterrent because it means the military can focus on their core tasks of defending us; otherwise, they get bogged down locally to help out. Also, the better people are prepared, the less chaos there will be and the better we will get through adversities.
Some level of preparedness helps you in any kind of unforeseen situation. When last year my father became very ill, I had no time for shopping or anything else. I was glad I had a food supply I could rely on.
I do not buy things specifically for emergencies. For everything I buy, I ask myself: can this still be used if the grid goes down? And if the answer is no, I look for an alternative. I am using my solar panel to go off-grid on a regular basis (every little bit helps to make us collectively more energy independent). The Heatsbox Go to warm up meals or warm up soup (80c) I use on a regular basis. This is USB-C powered with my power banks that I charge with my solar panel. The GoSun oven also is great (reaches 180c in winter, 220c in summer). I have the smallest one; it comes in handy to fry, cook, bake or steam something when there is sunshine (doesn't take long). In short, my set-up is dual use: regular use that continues to work in emergencies.
Investing in power stations and solar options
A couple of weeks ago, I bought an 1800-watt power station. It will power our microwave oven and some other appliances, possibly a fridge freezer for a time. It wasn't cheap. The make is Bluetti, in case anyone is interested. That sounds Italian but, of course, it is Chinese! That company has a repair facility in Germany. Some of them have no technical facilities in Europe.
I'm now going to research compatible solar panels. We live in an apartment, but it has a west-facing balcony and should get enough light.
Solar panels, batteries and power cuts
For solar panels to work in a power outage, you need batteries. If you have them, you can keep power while there is sun and the battery is charged. It doesn't need the internet though; obviously, the smart meter app that shows you what is happening won't work.
After the power cut here in Spain last April, we added batteries and we are delighted with the results. Our bills were already far lower than before the panels and, even though last month was not typical Spanish sunshine, the bill was cut by a further 60%.
Wouldn't be as good in the UK, of course, but better than no power.
Basic supplies and wind-up essentials
I have a wind-up radio and torches, along with enough canned and dry goods to last a couple of weeks, and about 40 litres of bottled water. I am not alone amongst my friends and relations. It is no different from insuring your home and far from paranoid. My hope is I will have to replace everything because it has gone past its best-before date.
Generator and emergency meals
I recently purchased a petrol generator and two 20 L cans of fuel. Purchased a load of Huel dried meals, large bottles of water, and had Starlink fitted. So that’s the kids covered! I did a basic prep in 2019 before Covid and learnt from that time.
Power cuts and communication limits
If the power is cut, there will be no mobile phone masts working, so dumping landlines for mobiles won't work in that scenario. We get power cuts regularly up here.
As for wind-up radios, broadcasting has shifted to digital only in many instances, so if you pick up anything, it won't be the main stations.
Realism about self-reliance fantasies
Unless you live somewhere very remote, we are connected to civilisation for better or worse. Good luck defending your own stuff if every household really needed to survive for two weeks. Two days, maybe.
The rugged self-reliance may in practice be just a fantasy, in a similar vein to how the most domesticated people do the most camping – camping for fun, that is. To romanticise nature because it doesn't have to do it anymore.
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.
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