By Maggie Silver

If you’ve been following our blog, you’ve probably figured out we’re big fans of zombies. While we know zombies are fictional, they tie in so well with another topic we’re deeply invested in, emergency preparedness, that it seems like a perfect match for us! Being true zombie fans, we love The Walking Dead on AMC, so much so that we’ve looked past the fact that they blew us up at the end of the first season and we assure you that our work here at the CDC continues.

Since the second season is set to premiere on Sunday, February 12, we thought we’d take a quick look back at what’s happened so far, and give the survivors who are struggling in the post-apocalyptic world featured in The Walking Dead, a few pointers in preparedness.

Re-Cap of the season so far

So, if you’ve been following this season you’ll remember it started out with the group striking out from the smoldering remains of CDC for greener pastures…well, zombie free pastures at least. The group hits their first of many snafus when they encounter a massive traffic jam which turned the interstate into a deserted car lot. A horde of walkers descend on the group while they’re scavenging the wreckage for supplies. There are some close calls and many teachable moments in these first few episodes…

Rule #1 – Make a pit stop, fill up before it’s too late

Siphoning gas…with your mouth? Gross. If you remember to always keep your tank at least half full, you can avoid having the lingering taste of petrol linger in your mouth and have enough fuel to get outta Dodge before impending disaster strikes.

Rule #2 – First aid kit, never leave home without it

We felt T-Dog’s pain when he ripped open his arm on a rusty car door while trolling the wreckage and siphoning gas. We’re assuming that you’re not scavenging for supplies on the freeway or hiding under abandoned cars to avoid walkers, but the key take away here is to always have a first kit on hand. By doing so, you could avoid having to stop the bleeding with a grimy towel and some duct tape like T-Dog did…not exactly sterile supplies. T-Dog’s luck improves when Daryl offers his brother’s stash of anti-biotics (not something the CDC recommends!) and the group stumbles upon a farm conveniently inhabited by folks versed in the medical arts. Herschel’s wife is able to stitch up T-Dogs arm (now oozing puss) and prevent further infection. Always have a first aid kit on hand. If you’re really smart you’ll keep one at home, in your car, and at work. T-Dog could have avoided a lot of pain and suffering if he’d followed this simple rule.

Rule #3 – Clean water is zombie-free water

Zombie down the well? You might want to find a new water source. One of the most gruesome scenes of the season was when the group found a water-logged zombie in Herschel’s well, nasty right? Contaminated water is a common concern after a disaster, zombie related or other. After an emergency, especially flooding, run-off containing livestock waste, human sewage, chemicals, and other contaminants can taint water used for drinking, cooking, or cleaning. Our suggestion to Rick and his crew – don’t drink the water! If you’re ever concerned about the quality of your water after a flood or other emergency check with local authorities about water safety, you can also make water safe by boiling, adding disinfectants, or filtering.

We’ll be glued to AMC next Sunday night (2/12 @ 9/8c) when our intrepid survivors return and we’re sure there’ll be plenty more “teachable moments.” If you can think of others from Season 1 or 2 leave us a comment we’d love to hear from you!

Video clips courtesy of The Walking Dead © 2011 AMC Film Holdings LLC. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of AMC Film Holdings LLC.