CDC Prepares Public for Zombie Apocalypse

[Ben]

The CDC blog has a piece on preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse. :)

I thought this was a really great and innovative way to get people thinking about general preparedness. It took a long time for the page to load for me.

http://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2011/05/preparedness-101-zombie-apocalypse/

[PTK]

Finally loaded - took nearly 15 minutes! I ended up clicking the link and walking away for a bit.

Funny, but... CDC being in touch with popular culture enough to release such a document to help "the rest of us" get prepared for ANY disaster/emergency? Fantastic. I like this, and think of it in the same vein as the Preparedness.org or whatever it is. :)

[Doggy Daddy]

Finally loaded - took nearly 15 minutes! I ended up clicking the link and walking away for a bit.

I did not possess the patience.  I clicked the link, and when I got nothing other than the spinning steel donut after several minutes, I closed the window.

DD

[HankB]

In a blog post written by Assistant Surgeon General Ali Khan, readers were advised to prepare for "flesh-eating zombies." Surprisingly, same steps you'd take to prepare for zombiues are similar to those suggested in advance of a hurricane or pandemic.

Although guns aren't mentioned in the story . . .

Story is here:  http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/18/cdc-warns-public-prepare-zombie-apocalypse/?test=latestnews

(Hmmm . . . does fed.gov know something we don't?    )

[Lanius]

I suppose it's good that I bought like three thousand rounds of 9mm ammo last month. Almost busted my back carrying it home though.

9mm love taps to the head will stop a flesh-eating zombie, right?

Hell.. maybe I should get another couple of mags though.

[Ben]

Duplicate topics merged.

(Hmmm . . . does fed.gov know something we don't?  shocked  )

Well, the fact that the blog entry won't load means someone is trying to hide something from us. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm doublechecking all my anti-zombie equipment. 

[Perd Hapley]

At least the CDC is spending our money on this, instead of anti-gun nonsense. Just think, if the government were shut down, we wouldn't have this.

[Ben]

Since it's public domain and there's the delay getting to the link, here's the text. There's some hyperlinked text that won't show up as linked:

Social Media: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse

The following was originally posted on CDC Public Health Matters Blog May 16th, 2011 by Ali S. Khan.

Image of zombie

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.

A Brief History of Zombies
We’ve all seen at least one movie about flesh-eating zombies taking over (my personal favorite is Resident EvilExternal Web Site Icon.), but where do zombies come from and why do they love eating brains so much? The word zombie comes from Haitian and New Orleans voodoo origins. Although its meaning has changed slightly over the years, it refers to a human corpse mysteriously reanimated to serve the undead. Through ancient voodoo and folk-lore traditions, shows like the Walking Dead were born.

Photo: A couple dressed as zombies - Danny Zucco and Sandy Olsson from the movie Grease walking in the annual Toronto Zombie Walk.

A couple dressed as zombies - Danny Zucco and Sandy Olsson from the movie Grease walking in the annual Toronto Zombie Walk.
In movies, shows, and literature, zombies are often depicted as being created by an infectious virus, which is passed on via bites and contact with bodily fluids. Harvard psychiatrist Steven Schoolman wrote a (fictional) medical paper on the zombies presented in Night of the Living Dead and refers to the condition as Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome caused by an infectious agent. The Zombie Survival Guide identifies the cause of zombies as a virus called solanum. Other zombie origins shown in films include radiation from a destroyed NASA Venus probe (as in Night of the Living Dead), as well as mutations of existing conditions such as prions, mad-cow disease, measles and rabies.

The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder “How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?”

Well, we’re here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing for real emergencies too!

Better Safe than Sorry

Photo: Some of the supplies for your emergency kit.

Some of the supplies for your emergency kit.
So what do you need to do before zombies…or hurricanes or pandemics for example, actually happen? First of all, you should have an emergency kit in your house. This includes things like water, food, and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp (or in the event of a natural disaster, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or utility lines are restored). Below are a few items you should include in your kit, for a full list visit the CDC Emergency page.

    * Water (1 gallon per person per day)
    * Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)
    * Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)
    * Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio, etc.)
    * Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)
    * Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)
    * Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)
    * 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)

Once you’ve made your emergency kit, you should sit down with your family and come up with an emergency plan. This includes where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your door step. You can also implement this plan if there is a flood, earthquake, or other emergency.

      Photo: Family members meeting by their mailbox. You should pick two meeting places, one close to your home and one farther away.

      Family members meeting by their mailbox. You should pick two meeting places, one close to your home and one farther away.
   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.

Never Fear – CDC is Ready

Photo: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Prepared

Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Prepared
If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine). It’s likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated. Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas (I will be volunteering the young nameless disease detectives for the field work).

To learn more about what CDC does to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds, visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/cdc/orgs_progs.asp

To learn more about how you can prepare for and stay safe during an emergency visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/

To download a badge like the one above that you can add to your social networking profile, blog, website, or email signature visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies.asp

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[griz]

I thought this was a joke at first but it's from CDC.GOV.  Admittedly it's meant to be a trendy, funny reference instead of actual about zombies, but is this what we want our government doing?  I don't.  Regardless of the size of our government I think it should at least be serious.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp

[AZRedhawk44]

Griz, you're a little too worked up over this story, man.

Have a drink.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/05/20/make-ultimate-zombiecocktail/?test=faces

 

[Ben]

I thought this was a joke at first but it's from CDC.GOV.  Admittedly it's meant to be a trendy, funny reference instead of actual about zombies, but is this what we want our government doing?  I don't.  Regardless of the size of our government I think it should at least be serious.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp

Actually, I thought this was a great idea. If .gov is going to use my money, I would much rather have someone at CDC spend two hours to post this blog that is an innovative way to get people to think more about how to fish, versus giving them fish.

The alternative, as we saw during Hurricane Katrina, is spending money on unprepared people who, though it seemed could afford $50 or so per month for satellite TV, couldn't be bothered to scrape up $20 for canned food and water, or who couldn't think enough to bring a blanket or two to their public shelter.

Plus I'd much rather see the CDC spend time on this than some of their other projects, like trying to prove guns are a "disease".

[Perd Hapley]

I kind of agree, Ben, with the addendum that that is a lowered expectation view of the current state of affairs. Ideally, we'd be arguing about whether gov should be in the business of telling people to keep bottled water and flashlights on hand for REAL emergencies.

[griz]

I'm all for being prepared for real emergencies.  But this still seems to me to be the wrong way to inform people.  Yes, most people will get the joke.  But there are people out there that will now believe in zombies because Uncle Sam told them to worry about it.  Don't believe me?  How many books are sold every year about preparedness?  Now, how many are sold about UFOs?  .GOV is getting in on the ground floor of the conspiracy bandwagon and their using tax dollars to do it.

Saw this on the back of an SUV.  THE END IS NEAR!!!

[Tallpine]

How does one prepare for UFOs 

[PTK]

I kind of agree, Ben, with the addendum that that is a lowered expectation view of the current state of affairs. Ideally, we'd be arguing about whether gov should be in the business of telling people to keep bottled water and flashlights on hand for REAL emergencies.

I thought this was a joke at first but it's from CDC.GOV.  Admittedly it's meant to be a trendy, funny reference instead of actual about zombies, but is this what we want our government doing?  I don't.  Regardless of the size of our government I think it should at least be serious.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp

I can pretty much address you both at the same time due to very similar concerns.

Personally I see this as a VERY wise use of resources from the Gov't, for once. The vast majority of the country are 100% behind the CDC doing things like this, along with the Gov't reminding people to prepare for emergencies. Fistful, you're pretty much the first person I've ever come across that isn't okay with that sort of public service, as griz appears to be okay with it if it's more serious in tone. I put this in the same vein as nutrition posters and websites, CPR/first-aid classes, and other simple, cheap, life-improving and (in some cases) -saving publications put out.

That in mind, is it any more costly to write that blog versus a general "be prepared" one? Okay, how much more effective is this sort of advertising (Zombies! Oh noez!) versus a boring article? So, is the per-reader cost higher or lower because of this style of advertising? Is this overall reaching more or less people than the boring style? Is this more or less likely to be spread by word-of-mouth and "meme" style posting on the internet?

Are you sure you'd rather have it be serious (less effective, less memorable, less trendy and thus less likely to be passed around by those who are most likely to NOT already know this information) than effective, griz?

Are you sure it's lowered expectations, Fistful? Perhaps you just don't like the Gov't doing anything of this sort, whatever the style. 

[griz]

That in mind, is it any more costly to write that blog versus a general "be prepared" one? Okay, how much more effective is this sort of advertising (Zombies! Oh noez!) versus a boring article? So, is the per-reader cost higher or lower because of this style of advertising? Is this overall reaching more or less people than the boring style? Is this more or less likely to be spread by word-of-mouth and "meme" style posting on the internet?

Are you sure you'd rather have it be serious (less effective, less memorable, less trendy and thus less likely to be passed around by those who are most likely to NOT already know this information) than effective, griz?

Good points.  Hurricane season is approaching,  I guess time will tell how effective it was.

[Perd Hapley]

Fistful, you're pretty much the first person I've ever come across that isn't okay with that sort of public service, as griz appears to be okay with it if it's more serious in tone. I put this in the same vein as nutrition posters and websites, CPR/first-aid classes, and other simple, cheap, life-improving and (in some cases) -saving publications put out.

Are you sure it's lowered expectations, Fistful? Perhaps you just don't like the Gov't doing anything of this sort, whatever the style. 

I don't think I like it, no. Does it seem to you like the proper place of government, to educate people on what to eat, or how to plan for their individual survival? Isn't this the nanny state we complain about? Or even if it were acceptable, shouldn't we suspend such programs in the current economy?

[PTK]

Things like this are, in my opinion, more important in this economy. Furthermore, would you rather have these programs, or more Gov't funded BS programs about diversity? Ideally, yes, none of these exist. They do, however, and aren't going anywhere any time soon - I'd rather be okay with this than frustrated all over.

[Tallpine]

I don't think I like it, no. Does it seem to you like the proper place of government, to educate people on what to eat, or how to plan for their individual survival? Isn't this the nanny state we complain about? Or even if it were acceptable, shouldn't we suspend such programs in the current economy?

It really does seem to me like they are monkeying with Darwin.

[Pharmacology]

This is a great marketing investment for the Centers for Disease Control.

They're going to get more out of this than a hundred poorly done commercials.

[Perd Hapley]

Things like this are, in my opinion, more important in this economy. Furthermore, would you rather have these programs, or more Gov't funded BS programs about diversity? Ideally, yes, none of these exist. They do, however, and aren't going anywhere any time soon - I'd rather be okay with this than frustrated all over.

That last part is something I've said at least twice in this thread. But about that first part...

It is true that the poor economy makes preparation more important. But aren't our high levels of spending contributing to the poor economy, which makes preparation both harder and more necessary? And aren't we all (or most of us on this board, anyhow) talking up the desperate need to cut as much spending as possible, lest our nation crumble and sputter and die? OK, a little hyperbole there, but that is how many of us feel about it.

And in light of this, you can still justify our govt. paying people to publish obvious facts and suggestions that they could just as easily learn from many other sources?

Just sayin...

[AZRedhawk44]

This is a great marketing investment for the Centers for Disease Control.

They're going to get more out of this than a hundred poorly done commercials.

Disagree.

It's a blog entry.

Not a nifty-spiffy commercial that looks like the next big summer zombie blockbuster gore-fest.

It will only be exposed to people that have a tendency to either:
-Cruise blogs and preparedness forums already, or;
-Cruise the CDC or other medical forum communities.

It might achieve a small degree of saturation via grassroots email distribution.  But that is negligible compared to the sea of similar emails that get bounced and forwarded around regarding the same topic anyways.

However, it also costs next to nothing.

[41magsnub]

I will chime in as in favor of the .gov spending cash on this sort of advertising and I'm just not getting my outrage on in this case.  I look at it like this...  disasters are going to happen.  One of the purposes of government that I agree with is disaster response, stepping in when the citizens are overwhelmed by events with rescue and support.  If a number of folks get in the disaster preparedness mindset it will reduce the level and cost of the support the government has to provide.  Plus, the costs to be minimally prepared for the citizenry are..  well..  pretty minimal.  If a little zombie fantasy works towards this goal a bit it is a good thing and could have a pretty good ROI.

[HankB]

How does one prepare for UFOs 

One enlists in S.H.A.D.O

http://www.shadolibrary.org/about.shtml

[Pharmacology]

Disagree.

It's a blog entry.

Not a nifty-spiffy commercial that looks like the next big summer zombie blockbuster gore-fest.

It will only be exposed to people that have a tendency to either:
-Cruise blogs and preparedness forums already, or;
-Cruise the CDC or other medical forum communities.

It might achieve a small degree of saturation via grassroots email distribution.  But that is negligible compared to the sea of similar emails that get bounced and forwarded around regarding the same topic anyways.

However, it also costs next to nothing.

Bingo.

I really doubt the people watching MSNBC instead of checking the CDC website are going to care enough to educate themselves either way.