CDC Publishes Zombie Preparedness Kit

Posted on May 18, 2011

The CDC has published information about preparing for an upcoming zombie apocalypse. The information can be found here on the CDC's website. Some of the pages are not currently loading due to overwhelming traffic. The CDC's entry begins with, "There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That's right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you'll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you'll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency."

The CDC says you will need the following items should a zombie attack occur and it takes you a couple days to get to a zombie-free refugee camp. Here is the list (which is lacking in weapons, such as a baseball bat):

  1. Water (1 gallon per person per day)
  2. Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)
  3. Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)
  4. Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio, etc.)
  5. Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)
  6. Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)
  7. Important documents (copies of your driver's license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)
  8. First Aid supplies (although you're a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane)

The CDC also provided the the following four-step guide for the creation of a plan you can implement should zombies appear outside your home.

  1. Identify the types of emergencies that are possible in your area. Besides a zombie apocalypse, this may include floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes. If you are unsure contact your local Red Cross chapter for more information. Family members meeting by their mailbox. You should pick two meeting places, one close to your home and one farther away
  2. Pick a meeting place for your family to regroup in case zombies invade your home...or your town evacuates because of a hurricane. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away.
  3. Identify your emergency contacts. Make a list of local contacts like the police, fire department, and your local zombie response team. Also identify an out-of-state contact that you can call during an emergency to let the rest of your family know you are ok.
  4. Plan your evacuation route. When zombies are hungry they won't stop until they get food (i.e., brains), which means you need to get out of town fast! Plan where you would go and multiple routes you would take ahead of time so that the flesh eaters don't have a chance! This is also helpful when natural disasters strike and you have to take shelter fast.
If zombies do appear the CDC says it will conduct an investigation just like with any other disease outbreak. The CDC will provide "consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine)."C



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