Normally, I would agree with you. The entire concept of Obergruppenfuhrer Ridge and his Department of Love gives me the willies, though his color-coded charts are downright silly. Any warnings which are general enough to be shotgunned nationwide lack any useful specificity and are completely worthless, and sound more like CYA than useful intelligence.
In this case, however, the "duct tape and plastic" remark has a tinge of practicality for people in certain locations. If I lived east (downwind) of New York City or Washington, DC, duct tape and plastic might provide effective protection in the event of airborne fallout from a "dirty" bomb. That and some rain. But I doubt that folks in Bumfart, Mississippi should be overly concerned.
That's good, 'cause our local Bumfart Wal*Mart ran out of duct tape. They do have plenty of ducks, but that's not an approved substitute. Except for the food thing. They're fine for that.