Bottled water: check. Torch: check. Blankets: check. UK leader Andy Burnham said Britons need to be better prepared for emergencies on Friday, when he hosted a wildfire and resilience summit.
The prime minister highlighted a new government campaign that urges households to stockpile essential items in case everyday services are disrupted by anything from severe weather to cyberattacks.
The "Be Ready" initiative advises storing three days' worth of bottled water and non-perishable food, a battery or wind-up FM radio to receive updates during outages, and banknotes and coins in case electronic payments or cash machines are disrupted.
Sleeping bags, spare batteries and toiletries are also on the checklist, which was published on Thursday and is in line with guidance issued in France, Ireland and the Netherlands.
"We're having the conversation with people about being better prepared because we're living in a world where unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common," said Burnham, giving storms as an example.
Burnham was speaking after he told a meeting of fire chiefs, local leaders and experts in Liverpool, northwest England, that UK military helicopters and planes would be equipped to fight wildfires. -
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