UK Government Secretly Preparing for Devastating ‘Black Sky’ Emergency
by Frank Bergman
The British government is secretly preparing for a catastrophic “Black Sky” emergency, a nightmare scenario in which the United Kingdom’s power grid, water systems, communications, and food supply could fail at once.
The secret planning was revealed in a report from the BBC, as the public-funded broadcaster has been tasked by authorities with relaying government messages to the British people in the event of such a catastrophe.
Under the contingency plan, the BBC would become a lifeline for the public, operating a stripped-down emergency radio service staffed by just 100 people if a cyberattack, major war, or extreme weather disaster wipes out electricity and internet access.
The alarming preparations were revealed as Britain’s government urges households to stockpile at least 72 hours of food, water, medicine, cash, and other essentials.
Emergency Radio Plan Revealed
The BBC has outlined how it would continue broadcasting public-safety information even if the country loses normal communications.
The national broadcaster would rely on FM radio transmissions that do not depend on the internet, allowing authorities to send pre-arranged emergency messages to the public during a nationwide collapse.
The “Be Ready” campaign instructs households to prepare for blackouts and the loss of internet access by storing enough necessities to remain self-sufficient for three days.
Emergency guidance reportedly includes drastic instructions for Britons running out of safe drinking water.
Households could be told to collect rainwater or treat water from unfiltered sources, such as rivers, with “one-quarter of a teaspoon of regular household bleach, preferably unscented” if boiling the water is impossible.
The plan also warns Britons against wasting water on bathing and advises people to use plastic bags for human waste if toilets can no longer be flushed.
The contingency preparations come as British officials have increased community-resilience planning and tested the country’s nationwide emergency-alert system.
U.S. Military Commissaries Hit by Mysterious Failures
The warning follows a string of disturbing refrigeration failures at no fewer than six U.S. military commissaries in late August.
Fort Huachuca in Arizona warned residents that “ALL frozen food has spoiled” after its refrigeration system failed.
Other affected facilities included F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island, Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, Travis Air Force Base in California, and Fort Irwin in California.