UK Urges Public to Prepare Emergency Kits Amid Rising Climate and Cyber Risks

• UK government launches ‘Be Ready’ campaign for emergency preparedness
• Households advised to stockpile essentials like water and blankets

Updated 13 min 41 sec ago

Arab News Pakistan

October 23, 2026 20:50

LONDON – Households across the United Kingdom are being encouraged to prepare for potential emergencies by building up supplies of essential items, as part of a new national initiative launched by the government.

The “Be Ready” campaign, unveiled by Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a wildfire and resilience summit, aims to help families and individuals maintain basic living conditions during short-term disruptions caused by events such as extreme weather, wildfires, or cyberattacks.

Recommended items include bottled water, non-perishable food, battery-powered or hand-cranked radios, cash in small denominations, sleeping bags, spare batteries, and personal toiletries. The advice aligns with preparedness guidelines already in place in several European countries, including 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, citing recent storms and wildfires among the growing threats.

He emphasized that having emergency supplies at home can provide stability during critical moments while public services respond to incidents.

The summit also addressed the rising threat of wildfires, particularly amid increasingly hot and dry summers linked to climate change. Burnham confirmed that military aircraft and helicopters will be deployed to support firefighting efforts, while domestic fire services will receive additional specialized teams and lightweight protective gear. The government has allocated up to £45 million ($60 million) toward enhancing the nation’s wildfire response capabilities.

Recent years have seen widespread droughts and heatwaves contribute to devastating blazes across the UK. In August, a major fire in Stourbridge, central England, destroyed 19 homes and damaged 18 others, underscoring the urgency of improving fire preparedness and climate adaptation strategies.

Defense Secretary Wes Streeting reiterated that the public should remain vigilant but calm, adding that the three-year-long “Be Ready” program is designed to foster practical planning rather than fear.

“How would we cope if the payment systems at the local supermarket went down?” Streeting asked. He pointed to increasing concerns over food safety and supply chain vulnerabilities, referencing a recent cyberattack that disrupted refrigeration systems in hundreds of French supermarkets.

Additionally, global tech sectors faced renewed scrutiny this week following reports of widespread website outages tied to vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language powering much of the internet infrastructure—further highlighting the need for robust contingency plans.

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