Zombie Apocalypse: Be prepared

If there’s anything that TV and the movies have taught us, it’s that there are many potential disasters out there, natural and otherwise, for which being prepared can mean the difference between surviving and lurching through the streets in search of human brains for sustenance. Thankfully, the folks at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have provided a preparedness guide to help ride out any forthcoming zombie apocalypse … or even storms, floods or other emergencies.

Make a kit: Put together an emergency kit for your house that includes: water (one gallon per person, per day), non-perishable food, medications, tools (duct tape, flashlight, batteries, utility knife, etc.), battery-powered radio, sanitation/hygiene (soap, bleach, towels), change of clothes, bedding, important documents (copies of I.D., birth certificate, etc.), and first-aid kit (although it’ll do little good if a zombie bites you).

Make a plan: Identify the types of emergencies possible in your area; pick a meeting place for your family to regroup outside the home in the event you can’t return; make an emergency-contact list (fire, police, relatives); plan an evacuation route.

The CDC has even published a zombie-themed disaster-preparedness comic called Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic. Search “zombie” at www.emergency.cdc.gov for more info.