When zombies attack: Are you ready? Published July 13, 2011 By Senior Airman Christine Clucas 20th Civil Engineer Squadron SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Imagine you are sitting on your front porch, enjoying a tall glass of iced tea, when suddenly the neighbor's boy seems to have just appeared in your front yard. At first, you don't pay attention to him, figuring his baseball just landed on your property. Then you notice there is blood and puss oozing from his mouth. His skin is pale and parts even have a greenish tint. His clothes are ragged. He's breathing very heavily, almost grunting. His eyes have dark circles around them. Even worse, he's staring right at you. You realize he's hungry, and he's only craving one thing... your brain. The Zombie Apocalypse has begun -- are you prepared? Several things could trigger a zombie apocalypse. Those who are not lucky enough to survive or gain superpowers from a nuclear holocaust will likely turn into zombies. A biological terrorist attack could leave us all for dead. A mutated vaccine could follow along the lines of "I Am Legend." However, the making of a real-life "Zombieland" will probably be due to a communicable disease. Such a disease can be transmitted through contact with saliva, snot, blood, feces or by touching something that has been in contact with an infected person. Avoid getting bitten! You're probably skeptical about an impending zombie attack, but such a threat may not be totally unlikely. New diseases are being discovered every day. Symptoms may not show up for days or weeks. The disease could spread rapidly before anyone knew they had been affected. For example, you think your co-worker has a mild cold. They have been sneezing and coughing all day. After a promotion ceremony, they congratulate promotees with a hand shake. Now all those people have been infected, along with every person they shake hands with after your co-worker. At home, they all hug their families. Then their families go to their work or schools and come into contact with their peers. As the chain continues, entire cities could be affected within a week's time. Now, consider a person traveling on a plane and infecting everyone on that plane. Then, those people travel to other cities. Now those cities are affected. If this was a virus that attacked the brain and affected human behavior we could have a zombie blitzkrieg on our hands! The best way to handle this situation is to prepare now! Oddly enough, preparing for a zombie apocalypse is not unlike preparing for other emergencies. There are several steps you can take to help keep your family safe during any emergency situation. First, sit down with your family and create a family disaster plan. This plan should include where you will go in the event of an emergency. You should choose two locations: one close to your home and one outside the local area. The first could be your assembly point in case a zombie is loose in your home or if you need to evacuate for a fire or small gas leak. The second should be your meeting place in the event you need to evacuate the local area. This could be due to zombies taking over your city, a large flood or a hurricane. Ensure your family knows who they need to contact in case you get separated in the evacuation process. You want to choose an out of state family member or friend because it is usually easier to call long distance rather than locally during a mass emergency. Also, make sure your family knows where the local shelters are in case evacuation is not possible. Some of the designated shelters in Sumter County are Sumter High School, Alice Drive Middle School, Furman Middle School, Ebenezer Middle School, Maywood Middle School and Alice Drive Elementary. Disaster can be delayed by boarding up the windows of your home before retreating to safety to slow down outraged zombies trying to break into your home or keep strong winds from damaging its interior. Emergencies tend to strike with little to no warning, so it's important to prepare a disaster supply kit so you and your family will have some essential items to stay safe and comfortable. The kit should include at least a three-day supply of water (one gallon per person, per day) and food. Avoid salty foods that will make you thirsty. Keep non-perishable, ready-to-eat and high energy foods like peanut butter, canned goods and baby food. Have at least one change of clothes for each person in your family. Also, consider rain gear and cold weather gear. Include tools such as a utility knife, manual can opener, plastic eating utensils, matches, a portable radio, a flashlight and extra batteries. Remember to put in special items like medications, inhalers, infant formula, blankets, important family documents, money and a first-aid kit as well. You may want to keep some guns, ammo and a baseball bat or machete available as well. Remember the only way to kill a zombie is to destroy the brain. Don't forget about your pets! Always have a kennel ready for a quick get-away. It should be big enough for your pet to stand up and turn around in comfortably. Keep your pet's favorite toys with them to help keep them calm. Your pet should always have a collar with his or her name and your contact information on it. Break away collars are best, since collars can get caught on branches or fences. A break away collar will prevent your pet from choking itself. Keep a leash handy for larger pets. Food, water, towels, cat litter, grooming supplies, vet records and medications should be packed as well. It is a good idea to keep current photos of your pet in case you and your pet get separated. If you must leave your pets inside your home, be sure to post a sign notifying emergency responders that your pet is indoors and may need rescuing. Most shelters do not allow pets. For information on sheltering your pet call the South Carolina Animal Care and Control at 1-803-776-7387. Preparedness is the best way to keep you and your family safe. Whether it is a natural disaster or a zombie apocalypse, you'll be glad you took the time to be ready. For more information on emergency preparedness, visit www.fema.gov/areyouready.