Zombies Are So Hot Right Now!

We think it’s a safe bet that many of us plan our Sunday night around AMC’s The Walking Dead. SPOILER ALERT! Do you think Andrea is really going to take out the Governor? 

TV shows, movies, games and flash mobs celebrating the macabre of the living dead have integrated zombies into our social fabric.

But as life usually goes, there can be too much of a good thing. Case in point, earlier this month there were several episodes of emergency alert system (EAS) equipment being hacked in different states, with the devices being used to send out false information; one of the most egregious being from a local news station in Montana announcing a "Zombie Attack" through its EAS system [Attention getting? Yes. Helpful? No.]

Protecting the integrity of the emergency alert system is extremely important as the emergency management community relies on this system to share life saving information. If the public doesn’t take notice when EAS systems are used, then the public is vulnerable to risk. That said, it is a serious matter when EAS systems are abused (or hacked, which is what happened in Montana).

Now back to the important stuff: zombies. Rest assured, your friends at the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management would activate in full force and coordinate resources … Okay, let’s be real. We do not expect a zombie-related emergency to ever happen!

San Francisco's Resources to withstand a Zombie Apocalypse:

• AlertSF: San Francisco's text and email based alert and warning system, which DEM uses to issue public information messages about emergencies that may impact the safety of those who live and work in San Francisco.
• 72hours.org: San Francisco's emergency preparedness website with instructions on how to be ready for just about any emergency.
• SF Heroes: San Francisco's award winning smart phone app that is designed to educate about emergency preparedness in a fun, and game-driven way. Check out our promo video: