Governor Sam Brownback will sign a proclamation designating October as Zombie Preparedness Month this September 26

Sep 24, 2014 19:55 GMT  ·  By

Judging by how crazy things are about to get in Kansas, chances are that Dorothy and Toto would do just almost anything to get back to Oz. Even revive the Wicked Witch of the East and have her turn them into her slaves.

Long story short, here's what's about to happen in this part of the US: come Friday, September 26, Governor Sam Brownback will sign a proclamation declaring October the state's official Zombie Preparedness Month.

That's right, all throughout the month of October, folks in Kansas will learn all about what can go horribly wrong during a zombie apocalypse, and what they can do to keep themselves, they families and their pets safe.

This proclamation is scheduled to be signed at 11 a.m. local time in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the Kansas Statehouse. Since none of the people behind this little stunt appears to be having second thoughts about it, chances are that October will in fact become Kansas' Zombie Preparedness Month.

Not such a crazy idea after all

Let's face it, zombie apocalypses only happen in Hollywood blockbusters, maybe in games. There is no way that something like this will ever happen in real life. Why is it then that high officials in Kansas want people to be ready to handle a zombie apocalypse?

Apparently, the answer is quite simple. The Zombie Preparedness Month has nothing to do with a zombie apocalypse. On the contrary, it is about teaching people how to cope with natural disasters like earthquakes in a fun way that is sure to spark everybody's interest.

“If you’re equipped to handle the zombie apocalypse then you’re prepared for tornadoes, severe storms, fire and any other natural disaster Kansas usually faces. This is a fun and low-stress way to get families involved, and past turnouts have proven it to be effective,” says Devan Tucking, of the Division of Emergency Management.

“We came up with the idea of Zombie Preparedness Month because it is an engaging way to get people on board with emergency preparedness,” adds Angee Morgan, deputy director of Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

The idea is, oddly enough, a perfectly sane one. To survive a zombie apocalypse, folks must have enough supplies to last them for a few days, an emergency kit, and an emergency plan. The list is the same when it comes to surviving natural disasters.

Because it's not about teaching people how to survive a zombie attack but about showing them how to keep safe in case of a natural disaster, Kansas' Zombie Preparedness Month has the following theme: “If you’re prepared for zombies, you’re prepared for anything.”