Are you prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse?

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), if you're prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse, you're prepared for any emergency.

This morning we awakened to a tornado warning and watch. The skies were green, the wind was howling, rain pounding down, etc. I immediated went under the stairs... and I realized that we were NOT prepared. We need a "Bug Out Bag" (or Disaster Kit).

This Kit is to contain items you need to survive during the period between a distaster/emergency and the time help arrives, usually 72 hours or more. I recall my Mother talking about being prepared in the early 60's for a Russian nuclear attack by having boxes of emergency supplies in the car. Being a military wife, she knew what to have on hand. Since that time we've gotten lazy. We expect that FEMA, friends, family or SOMEONE will come to our aid. Hurricane Katrina should have made us all realize that isn't going to happen.

According to the CDC's website, here's what we should do to prepare for a natural disaster or emergency situation:

Gather Emergency Supplies
If disaster strikes your community, you might not have access to food, water, or electricity for some time. By taking time now to prepare emergency water supplies, food supplies and disaster supplies kit, you can provide for your entire family.

Even though it is unlikely that an emergency would cut off your food supplies for two weeks, consider maintaining a supply that will last that long.

You may not need to go out and buy foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned goods, dry mixes, and other staples on your cupboard shelves.

Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency. A normally active person needs to drink at least 2 quarts (a half gallon) of water each day. You will also need water for food preparation and hygiene. Store at least an additional half-gallon per person, per day for this.

Store at least a 3-day supply and consider storing a two-week supply of water for each member of your family. If you are unable to store this much, store as much as you can. You can reduce the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

And don't forget to take your pets and service animals into account!

Disaster Supplies Kit

A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items that could be needed in the event of a disaster. Assemble the following items to create kits for use at home, the office, at school and/or in a vehicle:

•Water—one gallon per person, per day (3­day supply for evacuation, 2­week supply for home)
•Food—non­perishable, easy­to­prepare items (3­day supply for evacuation, 2­week supply for home)
•Flashlight
•Battery­powered or hand­crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
•Extra batteries
•First aid kit
•Medications (7­day supply) and medical items
•Multi­purpose tool
•Sanitation and personal hygiene items
•Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
•Cell phone with chargers
•Family and emergency contact information
•Extra cash
•Emergency blanket
•Map(s) of the area

Consider the needs of all family members and add supplies to your kit. Suggested items to help

meet additional needs are:

•Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)
•Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
•Games and activities for children
•Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
•Two­way radios
•Extra set of car keys and house keys
•Manual can opener
Additional supplies to keep at home or in your kit based on the types of disasters common to your area:
•Whistle
•N95 or surgical masks
•Matches
•Rain gear
•Towels
•Work gloves
•Tools/supplies for securing your home
•Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
•Plastic sheeting
•Duct tape
•Scissors
•Household liquid bleach
•Entertainment items
•Blankets or sleeping bags

Pack the items in easy-to-carry containers, label the containers clearly and store them where they would be easily accessible. Duffle bags, backpacks, and covered trash receptacles are good candidates for containers. In a disaster situation, you may need access to your disaster supplies kit quickly - whether you are sheltering at home or evacuating. Following a disaster, having the right supplies can help your household endure home confinement or evacuation.

Make sure the needs of everyone who would use the kit are covered, including infants, seniors and pets. It's good to involve whoever is going to use the kit, including children, in assembling it.

Disaster Supplies Kit Checklist for Pets

•Food and water for at least three days for each pet, food and water bowls and a manual can opener
•Depending on the pet, litter and litter box or newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags, grooming items, and household bleach
•Medications and medical records stored in a waterproof container, a first aid kit and a pet first aid book
•Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers to transport pets safely and to ensure that your pets cannot escape. A carrier should be large enough for the animal to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay in the carrier for hours. Be sure to have a secure cage with no loose objects inside it to accommodate smaller pets. These may require blankets or towels for bedding and warmth and other special items
•Pet toys and the pet's bed, if you can easily take it, to reduce stress
•Current photos and descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and your pets become separated, and to prove that they are yours
•Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems and the name and telephone number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place them in foster care.

Additional Supplies for Sheltering-in-Place

In the unlikely event that chemical or radiological hazards cause officials to advise people in a specific area to "shelter-in-place" in a sealed room, households should have in the room they have selected for this purpose:

•A roll of duct tape and scissors
•Plastic sheeting pre-cut to fit shelter-in-place room openings. Ten square feet of floor space per person will provide sufficient air to prevent carbon dioxide buildup for up to five hours. Local officials are unlikely to recommend the public shelter in a sealed room for more than two-three hours because the effectiveness of such sheltering diminishes with time as the contaminated outside air gradually seeps into the shelter.

Always keep a shut-off valve wrench near the gas and water shut-off valves in your home.

For more information on how to prepare, check out the CDC's website at:

http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/kit/disasters/