ZOMBIE ATTACK
Disaster Preparedness Simulation Exercise #5 (DR5)
E-Learning System Support Team:
AT-ICS, AT-LSS, CNS-OSG, UF Help Desk
Purpose
The purpose of this exercise is to discern appropriate strategies for responding to a zombie attack and/or
infection that might affect the University of Florida campus.
Participants
-All AT-LSS staff
-Appropriate AT-ICS staff
-Appropriate CNS-OSG staff
-Representatives from the UF Computing Help Desk
-CNS emergency planning representatives
-EHS emergency planning representative
-UF Zombie Response Team
Process
This exercise consists of a single event: a table-top exercise in which the science (e.g. neurobiology) of “zombieism,” or zombie behavior spectrum disorder (ZBSD) will be discussed and the stages of an outbreak identified, with follow-on discussion of how an outbreak of zombie attacks might affect maintaining support for the campus course management system.
This disaster exercise may draw upon the Campus Closure Exercise (DR4) current in the preparations stage.
Discussion
It is clear that international media have begun paying increasing attention to the possibility of an outbreak of zombie behavior spectrum disorder. Likewise, major metropolitan police agencies are starting to pay attention to the possibility of zombie attacks and are addressing citizen notification concerns.
At the same time, it is also clear that the science behind ZBSD is not fully understood and, as a result, attempts to portray and study zombie behavior are not always accurate, leading to some confusion about how to accurately identify a true zombie in the midst of an outbreak.
For purposes of this exercise, no attempt is made to distinguish between true zombieism and other, yet to be identified, outbreaks having somewhat similar affects on the general population that may fill out the full scope of the zombie behavior spectrum. For obvious reasons, we will leave that discussion to experts in the field of Zombie Studies. In this exercise, we assume that the affects of widespread attacks by flesh- eating, apparently life impaired individuals, accompanied by rapid spread of ZBSD caused by bites and scratches that do not result in the immediate death (and presumed consumption) of the victim, are relatively similar despite differences in biological and/or neurological causes and the etiologies of the
various specific syndromes.
Part 1 of this exercise will be to identify characteristics of a zombie outbreak that might precede official
notification. These might include:
a. Disappearance of isolated citizens, initially in relatively remote areas;
b. Increasing numbers of gruesome unexplained deaths and disappearances, especially at night;
c. Identification of difficult to kill, flesh-eating perpetrators;
d. Recognition that the numbers of perpetrators is rapidly increasing and that those previously
identified as victims have reappeared as perpetrators;
e. Increasing isolation of survivors;
f. Breakdown of peace-keeping and medical services;
g. Documentation of lots of strange moaning.
Part 2 of the exercise will be a discussion of how the overall impact of a zombie outbreak will affect use of and support for the course management system and will address such issues as:
a. In general, zombified users will be inarticulate and unable to clearly describe technology
problems and use cases;
b. Some support staff may be infected and unable to effectively and efficiently carry out their support
responsibilities;
c. The rapid breakdown of civil society and declining numbers of uninfected users may have
adverse budget impacts resulting in a reduction in staffing levels;
d. The spread of ZBSD to institutional administration may complicate policy making;
e. Conversely, the spread of ZBSD to institutional administration may simplify and streamline policy
making resulting in dramatic improvements in administrative responsiveness and service delivery;
f. Additional security measures will need to be implemented at service delivery points (i.e. the Hub
and SSRB).
Phase 3 of the exercise will cover important operational topics such as:
-Proper hygiene during an outbreak;
-Most effective hiding places and refuges should you encounter zombies at home;
-How to properly process and route inarticulate zombie-calls to avoid being accused of failing to
adequately support infected UF faculty, staff, and students;
-Situational work practices such as covering windows, barricading doors, and distinguishing
between zombie moans and other moaning encountered in the workplace;
-Dispelling myths. For example, contrary to Lawrence (2007),8 garlic will not stop true zombies,
only vampires; and zombies do come out during the day, though they are most active a night
because they typically do not like sunlight;
-Policies and procedures for dispatching an infected co-worker.
Anticipated Outcomes
1. Improved understanding and identification of zombie behavior syndrome and zombie behavior spectrum disorder to enable timely implementation of for more effective response zombie attack situation procedures and policies;
2. Increased readiness on part of staff for zombie outbreak situations including appropriate security and personal protection practices and policies;
3. Enhanced ability to maintain ELS service in the event of an outbreak;
4. Decreased transition time to move from standard operations to ZBSD operations;
5. Increased ability for UF to rely on the E-Learning System to continue the core mission during a zombie outbreak;
6. Development of a formal ELS zombie outbreak plan
a. Other UF support units may need to develop their own ZBSD plans;
7. Improved efficiency and economies of scale in the process of identifying and dispatching ZBSD infected co-workers.
Tentative Action Items
-Equip all staff offices with “blackout curtains” to prevent identifying worker locations to zombies;
-Equip all offices with easily barricaded doors able to withstand prolonged zombie incursion
attempts;
-Equip staff with laptops and ensure IPCC software is installed, tested, and working for staff who
may find commuting to work to be difficult;
-Equip all staff with long range (e.g. rifles) and short range (e.g. hand guns) firearms or other
weaponry (e.g. chain saws, baseball bats, LPs) for defense against the infected and to dispatch
possibly infected co-workers.
If at any time you should find it necessary to dispose of a co-worker due to zombie-like symptoms, please contact any Quad staff member for a copy of the Infected Co-Worker Dispatch Form. Please note that this form requires description of the symptoms displayed, as well as the weapon used for disposal.