Are You Prepared For Zombie Season? CDC Zombie Preparedness List

With hurricane, uh, I mean, zombie upon us, Checkered Flag fans should listen up.  This is an important message from the Center for Disease Control.  Do you know what to do in the case of a sudden zombie attack? 

If you haven't checked it out yet, you should take a minute to review the Center for Disease Control's Preparedness Guideline for zombie attacks.  There has been so much activity on this site, that it has shut down several times in the year it has been posted.  But, not to worry, Checkered Flag fans, I have secured the important instructions for us all. (Of course, these important measures are great for hurricanes too.) 

Source:  [Center for Disease Control and Prevention]  Seriously.   (edited for length) 

So what do you need to do before zombies - or hurricanes or pandemics for example - actually happen? First of all, you should have an emergency kit in your house. This includes things like water, food, and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp (or in the event of a natural disaster, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or utility lines are restored). Below are a few items you should include in your kit, for a full list visit the CDC Emergency page.      

* Water (1 gallon per person per day)     
* Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)     
* Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)     
* Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio, etc.)     
* Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)     
* Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)     
* Important documents (copies of your driver's license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)     
* First Aid supplies (although you're a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane)   

Once you've made your emergency kit, you should sit down with your family and come up with an emergency plan. This includes where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your door step. You can also implement this plan if there is a flood, earthquake, or other emergency.         

1. Identify the types of emergencies that are possible in your area. Besides a zombie apocalypse, this may include floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes. If you are unsure contact your local Red Cross chapter for more information.    

2. Pick a meeting place for your family to regroup in case zombies invade your home?or your town evacuates because of a hurricane. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away.    

3. Identify your emergency contacts. Make a list of local contacts like the police, fire department, and your local zombie response team. Also identify an out-of-state contact that you can call during an emergency to let the rest of your family know you are ok.    

4. Plan your evacuation route. When zombies are hungry they won't stop until they get food (i.e., brains), which means you need to get out of town fast! Plan where you would go and multiple routes you would take ahead of time so that the flesh eaters don't have a chance! This is also helpful when natural disasters strike and you have to take shelter fast.   

Never Fear - CDC is Ready      

Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Prepared If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine). It's likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated. Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas (I will be volunteering the young nameless disease detectives for the field work).   

To learn more about what CDC does to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds, visit: http://emergency.cdc.gov/cdc/orgs_progs.asp   To learn more about how you can prepare for and stay safe during an emergency visit: http://emergency.cdc.gov/

For the latest in zombie news and Hampton Roads weather, stay tuned to Checkered Flag.com.

Porsche Takes the Cayman GTS Go-Karting

For most of us, the first driving experience was behind the wheel of a go-kart.  The wind whipping through your hair, the thrill of the go-kart taking the wild turns.  It felt like we were going 100 miles per hour.

Now, Porsche is showing us that we can have that same fun as adults.  Check out the go-kart handling of the Porsche Cayman GTS.

For more in Porsche news and events, stay tuned to Checkered Flag.com, the home of your Virginia Beach Porsche service center.

Family Picnic Event - August 14th

Looking for some family fun this weekend? Stop by the Virginia Beach Farmers Market this Saturday for their Family Picnic Event!

There will be live music, crafts, food, face painting, and other fun activities.

When:

Saturday, August 16th
10:00AM - 4:00PM

Where:

Virginia Beach Farmers Market
3640 Dam Neck Road, Suite 510
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Click here for more details.

Hurricane Bertha Heads North

The weather in Hampton Roads and beyond has been unseasonably cool and comfortable during the last few weeks due to the Polar Vortex.  Now it seems that hurricane season might be coming and coming fast.  With the second hurricane, Hurricane Bertha, heading towards our coast many are watching closely. 

Checkered Flag fans always take hurricanes and weather systems seriously.  Hurricane Bertha does not seem to be a big danger just yet, but Checkered Flag will keep you posted on the progress of this system and make sure you are ready for anything that is to come.

Stay logged in to Checkeredflag.com for the latest updates, news and information about Hampton Roads weather.

Life Saving Seatbelts Not Being Worn-Craziness!

As a teen I was known for driving around my "bumper car."  This was not due to its stylistic lines or inflatables; it was because I liked to bump it into things to see their actual location.  I thankfully know better now as I have a much nicer car, thanks to Checkered Flag, but those days are still in my past and scare me for driving around teens in my present.

I, like the writer of a recent article I found, had one thing going for me; I always wore a seat belt.  It truly scares me that the trend of late is to not wear that crucial life-saving device.  I would have hated to see what I would look like right now, or to know if I would even still be around, if I had not worn mine.

Teens don't do this one simple thing that could save their lives
By Brandon Turkus

Hindsight being what it is, I now realize that I was a certifiable moron as a teenager. I thought I was far smarter and slicker than I actually was, and I took part in a spectacular array of things that, when viewed through the wiser eyes of someone pushing 30, were the height of stupidity. I'm sure most average Joes and Janes have a similar view of their adolescence. Throughout my teen years, though, I did do one thing correctly ? I always wore my seatbelt.

Weirdly, that's a topic that today's teenagers have issue with. And no, this isn't just some rant about youth; there's empirical evidence to back up this troubling trend. A new report by the Governors' Highway Safety Association has revealed that of the teen drivers killed on the roads in 2012, over half (51.2 percent, to be precise) weren't wearing their seatbelts. We aren't sure what's worse, that that figure has jumped 6 percent in the past three years, or that teen passengers are 20 percent less likely to wear seatbelts than teen drivers.

"Crashes are already the leading cause of death for teens, and it is particularly disturbing to see the percentage of unbelted teen drivers and passengers in fatalities continue to rise," said the GHSA's executive director, Jonathan Adkins.

Considering this information, the GHSA's report doesn't just inform, it aims to help local municipalities counteract this trend. The report details some of the most successful programs in the country when it comes to encouraging teen seatbelt use and outlines common elements that make them successful so that new programs can be setup around the country.

"Developing innovative, engaging approaches to teen safe driving reduces injuries and ultimately helps save lives," said Steve Sorenson, executive vice president at Allstate, which co-authored the GHSA report. "We hope that highlighting effective programs already underway in states and cities across the country will help expand their reach and encourage everyone in the car to buckle up on every trip."

Source: [Autoblog]

This article scares me to death as I have children that are getting closer and closer to driving age.  I hope that many Checkered Flag fans out there are teaching their children the importance of buckling up.  It really will save your life.

AAA Claims Cost of Vehicle Ownership is Down

Let Checkered Flag help you keep car ownership cost even lower.

Owning and Operating Your Vehicle Just Got a Little Cheaper AAA's 2014 "Your Driving Costs" Study

Average cost for sedans decreases 2.7 percent to 59.2 cents per mile

VIRGINA BEACH, Va. (May 9, 2014): AAA released the results of its annual "Your Driving Costs" study, revealing a 2.7 percent decrease in the cost to own and operate a sedan in the U.S. The average cost fell 1.64 cents to 59.2 cents per mile, or $8,876 per year, based upon 15,000 miles of annual driving.

"Despite increases in maintenance and registration fees, American motorists are experiencing an overall decrease in the cost to own and operate a vehicle," said Georjeane Blumling, Vice President of Public Affairs for AAA Tidewater Virginia. "A large decrease in fuel costs and lower tire, insurance and depreciation expenses are saving owners more than one and a half cents on every mile they drive."

In-depth findings of this year's study, including a breakdown of specific costs by category of vehicle and various annual mileages, are contained in the "Your Driving Costs" brochure which is available at select local AAA branch offices .

Blumling continued, "The true cost of vehicle ownership involves more than the sticker price and what you pay at the pump. Before you make any vehicle purchase, it is important to determine ownership and operational costs and compare them to your current and future financial situation." To assist consumers in determining their individual driving costs, the AAA "Your Driving Costs"brochure contains a worksheet that can be filled out and personalized for a specific area, driver and vehicle.

Fuel Costs Down more than 10 Percent

Fuel costs had the single largest percentage decrease from 2013 to 2014, declining 10.04 percent to 13 cents per mile. The average cost of regular grade fuel fell 5.96 percent, from $3.486 to $3.278 per gallon. At the same time, vehicle redesigns and improved power train technologies that take into account higher federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards has the effect of improving the average fuel economy of sedans used in the study.  Fuel costs in the 2014 study were calculated using the national average price for regular unleaded gasoline during the fourth quarter of 2013.

Maintenance Costs Up 1.81 Percent

This year maintenance costs increased nearly two percent to 5.06 per mile on average for sedan owners. AAA?s estimates are based upon the cost to maintain a vehicle and perform needed repairs for five years and 75,000 miles, including labor expenses, replacement part prices and the purchase of an extended warranty policy.  For 2014, some vehicles had lower costs due to longer service intervals or reduced labor times, while others experienced an increase in labor times and/or part prices that led to a rise in maintenance costs. AAA experts also identified an increasing number of vehicles requiring low-viscosity semi- or full-synthetic motor oils, which cost more than conventional oils but provide better fuel economy, added engine protection and allow for longer oil change intervals.

Tire Costs Decrease Three Percent

After several years of increases due rising costs for raw materials, energy and transportation, tire prices for 2014 have decreased three percent to 0.97 cents per mile. The decrease can be credited to two main factors; some redesigned sedans now come equipped with less expensive tires and some tire prices have declined.

Insurance Costs Decrease 0.58 Percent

In 2014, average insurance costs remain essentially unchanged at an average annual cost of $1,023, compared to $1,029 last year. Insurance rates vary widely by driver and driving record, issuing company and geographical region. AAA insurance cost estimates are based on a low-risk driver with a clean driving record and for 2014 this group saw a negligible premium decrease. Premium quotes, covering seven states across the country and insurance companies from five AAA clubs, showed minor declines for most small and medium sedans, with large cars having small increases.

Depreciation Costs Fall 1.71 Percent

After a small rise in depreciation last year, the tide has turned and depreciation decreased for 2014 to $3,510 per year from $3,571. While the numbers are improved in all three sedan categories, they are particularly strong in the medium-size area where several very desirable redesigned models have been introduced.

64rd Year of "Your Driving Costs" Study

AAA has published "Your Driving Costs" since 1950. That year, driving a car 10,000 miles per year cost 9 cents per mile, and gasoline sold for 27 cents per gallon.

The "Your Driving Costs" study employs a proprietary AAA methodology to analyze the cost to own and operate a vehicle in the United States. Variable operating costs considered in the study include fuel, maintenance and repair, and tires. Fixed ownership costs factored into the results include insurance, license and registration fees, taxes and depreciation and finance charges. Ownership costs are calculated based on the purchase of a new vehicle that is driven over five years and 75,000 miles. Your actual operating costs may vary. See AAA's 2013 "Your Driving Costs" brochure for a list of vehicles and additional information on the underlying criteria used in the study.

End of article excerpt. 

It is always wise to consider the overall cost of any vehicle you plan to purchase.  Checkered Flag can help you with that.  While it is important to do your own research, our top-trained associates can help you find the perfect vehicle for your specific needs and budget. 

One great way to save on your average yearly cost is to invest in a hybrid vehicle.  As the article points out, a move to more efficient vehicles is having an overall lowering effect on the total cost of owning a vehicle.  For a full list of best fuel economy cars and hybrid vehicles, call our Checkered Flag experts at (757)687-3447.  

And, don't forget to take advantage of your Checkered Flag service agreements.  Many of our vehicle brands include complimentary maintenance plans.  A properly maintained vehicle will cost less over the life of the vehicle.  So, make sure you bring your vehicle in for all recommended service visits.  Call your Checkered Flag service department at (757)490-1111 with any questions or to set up an appointment.

Article source: [AAA.com]

$12,000 Off New Jaguar XJ Models

 

This July, you can find the best deal on the 2014 Jaguar XJ and XJL at our Virginia Beach Jaguar store.

$12,000 off MSRP New 2014 Jaguar XJ Models

See dealer for full details.   Includes all factory incentives.  Subject to credit approval.  Tax, title, license, $599 dealer processing fee extra.

For more information about the 2014 Jaguar XJ, or to set up your own test drive here at our Virginia Beach Jaguar location, call Checkered Flag Jaguar at (757)687-3447.