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Buy a wind-up radio – and don’t forget the chocolate: survival experts on how to prepare for an emergency

By · Via The Guardian Money · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Medical and survival specialists suggest assembling comprehensive kits that go beyond standard household supplies. Military survival instructor John Hudson advises stocking tailored bandages, sterile dressings, and antiseptic wipes, while NHS GP Will Duffin recommends adding children's medicines, thermometers, rehydration sachets, and taking basic first aid courses. To endure prolonged power cuts or winter stranding, experts highlight wind-up radios that double as phone chargers and wool garments that retain warmth even when wet.

Key points

  • Households should view assembling emergency kits as a sensible, everyday precaution rathe…: Households should view assembling emergency kits as a sensible, everyday precaution rather than a panicked reaction.
  • Medical preparedness should pair expanded household first aid supplies with formal traini…: Medical preparedness should pair expanded household first aid supplies with formal training from organizations like the British Red Cross.
  • Wind-up radios provide critical off-grid utility by offering access to information alongs…: Wind-up radios provide critical off-grid utility by offering access to information alongside integrated torches and phone chargers.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

How prepared are you for an emergency? Do you have a few extra tins of beans in the cupboard, or a full-on preppers’ kit in the cellar? While no one likes to think about worst-case scenarios, you can’t have failed to notice the growing noise around being sensibly, practically ready for floods, power cuts, cyber-attacks and other events.

The government launched its Be Ready campaign in October with guidance on how to prepare for emergencies, including a list of suggested items to have at home.

To help you understand what to buy, and where to buy it from, we asked survival, medical and nutritional experts for their advice. “There’s lots of panic about upcoming floods, El Niño and AI attacks, but this emergency preparedness is something we all should be doing anyway. It’s just a good idea to look after yourself and your family like this,” says Hannah Cloke, regius professor of meteorology and climate science at the University of Reading. And if you are in a position to do so, consider donating to a charity like Trussell to help…

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