Viral warnings say stock up. What does Lubbock think?

Over the past week, two of the country’s best-known commentators have urged Americans to stock up. A lot of people in Lubbock are asking the same question: Should I? We’re not going to answer that for you. Here’s what’s being said, what official agencies recommend, and where to check it yourself.

What they’re saying

In a YouTube video posted Oct. 29, podcaster and former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said he is “a little worried about the potential for a cyber strike that could regionally lead to some brownouts and blackouts.” His advice: “Be prepared for 30 days of being off the grid so you can support your family. It’s critical.” He also said, “Don’t panic. There’s no need for panic.”

A day earlier, Glenn Beck posted a segment titled “I Haven’t Given a Warning Like This Since 2007,” which had more than 6.2 million views as of Nov. 1. “I want you to prepare for impact,” he said, adding, “You can dismiss this all you want and you might be right.” Beck pointed to new preparedness campaigns in Europe and to a Pentagon program for military bases. His bottom line: “Do not panic. Do not change your life.” And: “Start with simple things. If they say 3 days, do 2 weeks.”

What official agencies recommend

Here’s what the guidance says, in the agencies’ own terms:

We didn’t find any government agency recommending a 30-day household supply.

Other facts worth knowing

The Pentagon program Beck mentioned is called FORTRESS. Fox News Digital reported that it expects major military bases in the continental U.S. to keep running for at least 90 days without outside support. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told the outlet that in a multi-front war, “global supply chains will break.” The program covers military installations, and DefenseScoop also covered it. We found no FORTRESS guidance for households.

Experts don’t all agree on how urgent this is. A Tulane University expert told Fox Baltimore there’s no public or official sign of a specific, imminent threat. That’s one view. Bongino and Beck clearly see it differently.

The Lubbock picture

Here are a few local facts to weigh. During Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, Lubbock had rolling outages ordered to protect the regional grid, and the city moved water plants to backup generators. In August 2025, the city took its computer systems offline as a precaution after finding what it called potentially malicious code, Lubbock Lights reported. The city said it found no evidence of a data breach. LP&L finished moving Lubbock onto the state’s ERCOT grid in December 2023.

If you choose to prepare

Germany’s guide suggests building supplies step by step. The City of Lubbock points residents with medical needs to the state’s STEAR registry, so first responders know to check on them during a long outage.

Do your own homework

Watch the videos and read the agency guidance for yourself. Every link is in the Sources section below. Then decide what makes sense for your household.