NO, REALLY: GOVT WARNS OF 'ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE'

AP ^ | Sep 6, 5:58 PM EDT | ALICIA A. CALDWELL

[Kartographer]

"The zombies are coming!" the Homeland Security Department says.

Tongue firmly in cheek, the government urged citizens Thursday to prepare for a zombie apocalypse, part of a public health campaign to encourage better preparation for genuine disasters and emergencies. The theory: If you're prepared for a zombie attack, the same preparations will help during a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake or terrorist attack.

[Kartographer]

This image released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a public service poster on Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic. "The zombies are coming!" says the Homeland Security Department. Tongue firmly in cheek, the U.S. government urged citizens Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, to prepare for a zombie apocalypse, part of a public health campaign to encourage better preparation for genuine disasters and emergencies. The theory: If you're prepared for a zombie attack, the same preparations will help you during a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake or terrorist attack. (AP Photo/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

[melsec]

Well I would be sharpening my axe to cut heads off but I don’t think that’s where they are going with this.

Mel

[servantboy777]

How come I get this feeling the government is taunting us.

[Paladin2]

"..sharpening my axe to cut heads off..."

Lonely? Expect a visit soon.

[Sybeck1]

Firearms and melee weapons, check.

[Molon Labbie]

The government may seem to be joking, but they really aren’t. They are really telling people that have to be self-sufficient because the government is not truly prepared to assist the citizens in a nationwide “unusual occurrence”.

Besides, there is a hierarchy on who gets saved and who doesn’t. Guess where the average citizen fits in?

[IMR 4350]

I've got a feeling you're right.

Sharpen the ax anyway, it might come in handy.

[Paladin2]

“Smith added that if more people don’t come to Raub’s aid in publicizing his mistreatment, authorities are more likely to “make him disappear or to “zombify Brandon”.”

[Lazamataz]

How come I get this feeling the government is taunting us.

I'm actually peripherally involved in this effort. Dr. Khan is a very creative, 'cool' kind of CDC Director. He came up with the concept of linking emergency preparedness to the 'zombie apocalyse' and it took off. There is no taunting, it is as it appears: Have a little fun, make the concept engaging to the public, while instructing people how to be prepared for an emergency.

[Kartographer]

I for one do believe in zombies they have been on TV all week. Just instead of brains the eat your tax dollars.

[ctdonath2]

Naw, not taunting (much as we’d like ‘em to so we can point and say they are). The department tasked with persuading people to prepare for short-term emergencies found “floods! fires! earthquakes!” rhetoric not very persuasive, but “zombie apocalypse!” made people laugh and eased the tension of considering real emergencies. Heck, the “CDC warning of zombies!” meme went viral. Sometimes the gov’t does something right, albeit in an odd way.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Strange. The basic prep for surviving a zombie apocalypse is food and water, medical supplies, guns and ammo, LOTS of guns and ammo.

Why would a branch of the federal government with the fedgovs open agenda of citizen disarmament even jokingly make a suggestion that people arm themselves for the eventuality of dispatching a massive number of threats?

Am I the only one who finds this somewhat odd?

[autumnraine]

Didn’t they do this last year?

[sten]

code phrase

‘ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE’ == desperate, starving, slow moving people looking for food and willing to attack/kill others if necessary

[Kartographer]

No axe, but I did recently buy one of these:

SOG F01T Tactical Tomahawk

[MrB]

And by “zombie”, they mean “hoards of formerly welfare dependent MUY who’ve been cut off and are seeking sustenance from the suburbs”.

[ZX12R]

[ctdonath2]

That’s a “graphic novel” available at http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/_media/cymkPrint/11_225700_A_Zombie_Final.pdf

[PLMerite]

“Am I the only one who finds this somewhat odd?”

Not at all. The first thing I thought when I saw this months ago was “I wonder if they realize how zombies are dealt with in movies and games?” followed quickly by “I wonder what caliber they recommend?”