Zombie Guard Coalition

If you live with furry friends it’s important to plan for their well being and safety in an emergency, too. Few of us will forget the images of pets struggling for survival in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The lesson was learned hard and fast, and animal welfare in an emergency took a quantum leap forward via legislation, public awareness, emergency services and owner preparedness.

Take some time to prepare for emergency scenarios befitting your geography. Every pet owner should have a grab-and-go plan for evacuating a home quickly and some geographies require a plan for extended absences. Here are some tips from the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States:

Get a Rescue Alert Window Sticker that lets emergency workers and others know how many pets are inside your home. Stickers are free from the ASPCA and from some pet stores or veterinarians.

Make an Emergency Supply and Travel Kit that is easy to carry. It should include:

Pet first-aid kit that includes bandages, antibiotic cream, instant cold pack, gauze, alcohol wipes, sting relief, scissors, blanket and tweezers3-7 days of canned (pop-top) or dry food (be sure to rotate every two months) Disposable litter trays and litter (aluminum roasting pans are the right size) Liquid disinfectant soapGarbage bags for clean-upFood dishesExtra collar and leashWaterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requiresBottled water for at least 7 daysA traveling carrier, ideally one for each petFlashlight Blanket (useful for scooping up a fearful pet)Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make "Lost" posters)Especially for cats: Pillowcase or EvackSack, toys, scoopable litterEspecially for dogs: Extra leash, toys, chew toys, and enough cage liner to last a week.Arrange a Safe Haven and Caregivers. If it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for your pets, so don’t leave them behind. Not all Red Cross disaster shelters accept pets, so it is imperative to make an evacuation plan for them ahead of time including identifying hotels outside of your immediate area that accept pets and asking friends and relatives outside your immediate area if they would be willing to take in your pet. Establish a permanent caregiver should something happen to you.

Evacuation Preparation. If you must evacuate your home in a crisis, plan for the worst-case scenario. If you think you may be gone for only a day, assume that you may not be allowed to return for several weeks. When recommendations for evacuation have been announced:

Keep emergency kit handy or load into vehicleMake sure pets are wearing tags with up-to-date identificationBring pets indoors. Pets can become disoriented and wander away from home during a crisis. Call ahead to make arrangements for boarding your pet outside of the danger zone at the first sign of disaster.If emergency officials recommend that you stay in your home, determine which rooms offer safe havens. These rooms should be clear of hazards such as windows and flying debris.Choose easy-to-clean areas such as utility rooms, bathrooms, and basements as safe zones.Fill up bathtubs and sinks ahead of time to ensure that you have access to water during a power outage or other crises. In the event of flooding, go to the highest location in your home, or a room that has access to counters or high shelves where your animals can take shelter. If you keep other kinds of pets, the ASPCA lists special considerations for birds, reptiles and small animals that are important to read.

Tracy  I just want to thank you for the great jpb you are doing with this web page.... SAGE

I am pleased to announce that COL Kevin Lee of the Iowa Zombie Guard has agreed to organize his unit as a medical training command. He will be providing classes to train our troopers in real world emergency medicine. All medics in the Zombie Guard Coalition will be detachments from his unit.

Greetings Coalition Troopers,

I would like to take this time to address some exciting new milestones for the Zombie Guard Coalition.  For starters, we truly are international.  We currently have a command staff set up in the USA, Canada, and Europe and we're adding new members everyday.  Thank you MG Lee Peters and BG Kendall Friesen for doing a fantastic job getting our international units going, and thank you to all the devoted officers in the various US States who have put in countless hours and endured my tendacy to make last minute changes.  I know we are all volunteers here, but the professionalism and dedication I have received from our ZGC officers has been second-to-none. 

One of the many things we have been working on has been the official Zombie Guard Coalition uniform.  I am please to announce that the uniform has been selected, complete with patches and all, and can be viewed at the forms page on our website ( http://www.zombie-guard.com/apps/documents/ ).  The uniform has been labeled the Zombie Combat Uniform, or ZCU, and is authorized for all members to wear.  That uniform, or a variation of it, is to be worn during ZGC sponsored disaster relief efforts.

We are in the process of registering as a non-profit organization (NPO).  Our mission has always been to provide training and resources to assist in disaster relief.  By getting recognition as a NPO we will be eligible to receive funding from grants, donations, etc., and use it for our programs.  We are not there yet, but we are getting very close.  I ask that you please stop by our webstore page, labeled Zombie Style!!!, and support our efforts by purchasing some of our merchandise.  Any profit generated through sales will go towards the filing fees for NPO status.

BG Sage is doing a fantastic job getting our Chaplain Corps up and running.  We are working on a training program that will prepare others to work in the field as a Chaplain.  As we all know, any disaster brings with it emotional distress.  We stand ready to administer to the needs of our members and communities by training and certifying chaplains of any faith to assist.  The program is getting fine tuned as we speak and we will be starting our first class soon.  If interested in becoming a Chaplain or Chaplain's Assistant please contact us.

One thing that will never change is the fact that we're all here because we want to talk anything zombies.  Let's have fun and and discuss ways to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.  Please use our forums to start a conversation or continue another.  Our website is a tool we can use to meet friends from around the world and share a common interest.  2013 is the year of the Zombie Guard Coalition and together WE will make a difference!

We will be very pleased when any training comes to us.  It is our desire to serve those who have spiritual need, as well as be able to comfort and help anyone in need with Christian's daily walk in these difficult times.

Bruce Evans

Attention Chaplains:

Rev (COL) Sage and I understand the importance of on-going training for our chaplains.  We need to ensure that all of our clergy understand their role as chaplain and are equiped with the tools and training to best administer to our members and commuities.  As a result we will be providing mandatory training via our Chaplain Forum area on this website.  Look for info to come soon.  It is expected that all of our chaplains participate in the training.  Please contact myself or Rev Sage with questions.

Thank you!

We are planning our first organized field training exercise for September. This will be a nationwide event to be conducted by each unit. What do you guys, our troopers, want to incorporate as part of the training? It will be for 1 day this time. Unit commanders, we have had enough time to get our members on the zgusa website. All future communication on this will be given through there.

We are pleased to announce our newest chaplain from Alaska!  Welcome to the team Rev (CPT) Sage!