COLUMBUS – Good news! If (or when) the zombie apocalypse occurs, central Ohio will be one of the best places to ride it out.
CareerBuilder.com and Economic Modeling Specialists International have published the Zombie Apocalypse Index, ranking the United States’ 53 largest metropolitan areas on their preparedness for an all-out assault by the walking dead and Columbus finished No. 3, right behind Boston and Salt Lake City.
The websites considered eight factors, including a region’s ability to defend itself against a virus that causes people to turn into zombies, the ability to contain the virus, ability to find a cure, ability to outlast a zombie virus epidemic and food supply.
Columbus ranked very high (#2) in food supply and the likelihood of discovering a cure. Don’t waste time though, because the region did score well in defense (30th) or the ability to contain the outbreak (37th).
Columbus is far safer than Ohio’s other largest cities: Cleveland was 40th and Cincinnati was 37th.
The other cities making up the top 10 are Baltimore, Virginia Beach, Seattle, San Diego, Kansas City, Denver and Indianapolis.
The worst? New York/New Jersey, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., and Los Angeles.
Although no one “officially” expects a zombie apocalypse, emergency officials have staged them for disaster training purposes and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a page on preparing for the onslaught of the walking dead to promote household disaster readiness.