UK urges households to store three days of emergency provisions
The British government advised the public on Friday to keep three days of emergency supplies at home, a message it said had been hammered home by this week’s PHP software glitch, as well as a record-setting summer of heat, drought and wildfires. Governments and businesses worldwide have rushed to secure systems running the PHP programming language after flaws were disclosed on Wednesday, forcing some services offline and triggering millions of hacking attempts in one of the most significant cybersecurity incidents in recent years. The British government said the internet outage showed the importance of its newly launched “Be Ready” campaign, which advises the public to keep three days of bottled water and non-perishable food in the house. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, hosting a meeting on the response to wildfires, said that in the past Britain had been “on the back foot” responding to emergencies and that it needed to be more proactive. The government announced a new wildfire response plan that includes deploying military aircraft. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said cyber incidents such as the PHP outage would become more common as AI made it easier to find ways to thwart traditional defences. He also cited risks from hostile states, organised criminals and climate change. The UK was facing a greater level of threat “than we have certainly for most, if not all, of my lifetime”, he said during an appearance on the BBC’s ‘Question Time’ programme broadcast overnight. Britain’s advice is similar to that issued by the European Commission, which told EU citizens last year to keep a 72-hour emergency kit containing supplies such as food, water, cash and power banks.
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The British government has urged citizens to stock at least three days of essential emergency provisions at home, pointing to recent digital disruptions and severe weather hazards.
Officials highlighted the guidance following a widespread software vulnerability affecting the PHP programming language, which triggered digital service disruptions and millions of breach attempts around the world. The incident coincided with a summer marked by record heatwaves, prolonged dry spells and destructive fires.
Under the state's newly introduced "Be Ready" initiative, households are encouraged to store a 72-hour cache of non-perishable food items and bottled drinking water. Authorities noted that recent technical interruptions underscore the necessity of individual preparedness when vital infrastructure faces sudden strain.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham addressed the strategy during a conference focused on wildfire management, remarking that the country had historically found itself "on the back foot" in crisis situations and must adopt a far more anticipatory approach. Alongside preparedness advice for the public, the administration unveiled an updated wildfire mitigation strategy that incorporates the use of military planes.
National security officials also warned of an evolving threat environment. Speaking on the BBC's "Question Time," Defence Secretary Wes Streeting cautioned that disruptions similar to the recent web vulnerability are likely to escalate in frequency as artificial intelligence tools help adversaries circumvent conventional digital protections. Streeting noted that the nation confronts a danger level greater "than we have certainly for most, if not all, of my lifetime," referencing challenges posed by hostile foreign powers, criminal networks and climate shocks.
The recommendations bring the UK into closer alignment with guidance seen elsewhere in Europe. The European Commission previously instructed residents across the European Union to prepare three-day disaster kits equipped with water, non-perishable rations, backup power sources and physical cash.
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