The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Government and police accused of scaring public.
Tory MSP says it is ‘ill-advised’ given current atmosphere in UK
The police have been accused of scaring a tense public after recommending the public pack a “grab-and-go” bag of essentials this month.
Tweeting from the verified control room Twitter account, Police Scotland sent a message recommending households prepare for emergencies and unexpected events during September – so-called “preparedness month” – by having a the bag at home at all times.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr called the advice “ill timed”, given the “current atmosphere” in the UK.
The advice came just 53 days before the date the UK is due to leave the EU – with or without a deal.
Some experts say the latter scenario will involve food and medicine shortages.
Top doctors have said there is an expectation the death rate could rise and stockpiling of body bags has been discussed.
In the grab-and-go bag, it is advised members of the public stash a pen and notepad, flashlight (torch), phone charger and battery bank, batteries, a wind-up radio, first aid kit, food and water, seasonal clothing and an “emergency plan”.
It is recommended copies of personal documents like insurance details and birth certificates are added.
The tweet then links to a Scottish Government website called Ready Scotland.
It says: “September is preparedness month. Emergencies can happen at any time and it’s recommended to have a #GrabBag ready.
“Thirty Days 30 Ways UK is a monthlong social media campaign looking at emergency response and personal preparedness, providing practical advice on a range of subjects.”
On the website, further details are provided on the “emergency plan”.
The first request is to pick a friend or relative “who lives outside the area”, to call following an emergency or incident.
It is recommended the emergency list contains landline numbers of local radio stations, the radio station frequency, school numbers, contact details for insurance companies, vet practices, the local council and a doctor.
Mr Kerr said: “While I have no doubt this tweet was well-intentioned, its timing seems extremely ill-advised.
“It’s difficult to understand why September requires people to prepare an emergency grab bag.
“Given the current atmosphere in the UK, the timing of this tweet should, perhaps, have been reconsidered.”
Police Scotland had no one available to comment yesterday.
However, the tweet received a backlash on social media, with some commentators comparing the recommendations to the “American Prepper” movement.
Also known as survivalists, preppers are a movement of individuals or groups who actively prepare for emergencies, including possible disruptions in social or political order, on scales from local to international.
Thousands of videos on websites like YouTube show how survivalists organise and believe one day society will crumble.
The movement was spawned during the Cold War, when the threat of nuclear annihilation threatened the world.
The authorities have been accused of spreading panic with warnings about something called Preparedness Month. Like fast food gluttony and barely believable political turmoil, the initiative seems to have arrived here from the USA, where it has been a regular feature on the calendar.
It would seem Scots are no longer “prepared” unless we have a bag packed, containing such items as a radio, whistle and flashlight (torches having been consigned to the past).
Unfortunately, there is no accompanying information regarding such items’ intended use, no details of the events for which we are preparing or what the apparently essential “emergency plan” should cover.
In Scotland, the obvious answer would be extreme weather — either heat, rain or cold and not necessarily depending on the season.
Other wags have suggested it is the latest no-deal Brexit preparation.
Perhaps the grab bag is so we can head for the hills when the seemingly inevitable general election is called, to emerge only after polling day.
It is entirely unclear.
It is easy to laugh off such nonsense but there is a serious side.
Anxiety is a major factor in poor mental health.
Dire warnings about unspecified threats can contribute. This stunt, however well-meaning, was unwise.