#5. Surviving the attack
When the hordes of zombies finally make their way to you for whatever reason, fear and unpreparedness can destroy even the best laid plans of mice and men. So don’t be caught unawares. Stay alert, and don’t panic. Take these precautions to protect yourself and your group.
If you are barricaded in a two story home, destroy the staircase. Once you’ve gathered up all your belongings, food, and weapons, you’ll want to destroy all the means of access for any walkers should they get past barricades you put on your entrances. That way, if the worst happens and the living dead do break through, they won’t be able to reach you, unless the hordes are so great that their bodies pile up to the second story, in which case it’s time to initiate your escape plan. You do have an escape plan, don’t you?
Turn on the bathtubs in your house, all of them, and fill them up. You’ll want to have as large a stockpile of water as you can get. After a certain amount of time the water may turn brackish, but if you can find water purifiers, or boil the water after a week or so, you should be fine.
Stay out of sight. Putting yourself in sight of the walkers is like dangling a banana in front of a hungry gorilla. Don’t tempt the monkey. Keep yourself out of sight and quiet, so hopefully the zombies will find something to distract them and they will leave. If you have any mild alcohol in your house, and there are crying infants, a tiny thimbleful might help quiet them down. Bad for their health, but worse is being eaten alive by the walking dead. Don’t hesitate. Do it.
If you’re in a one story home, go to the attic and pull up the ladder. If there is no attic, go to the roof. Try not to advertise your whereabouts too much, but if there is a manageable horde of zombies, this might be a good time to pull out your primary weapon and begin picking them off one by one. Remember, every shot of precious ammunition counts. Aim for the head, and don’t miss.
Office buildings can be great refuges if you happen to be near one. They generally have decent security features, and can be easily defended. Locking yourself in an office building is generally a good idea. Hospitals are usually not a good idea. While they may sound like they will be havens of safety, remember that once an outbreak occurs, these are going to be the first place overrun by the infected. When people start showing symptoms of turning, this will be where relatives and loved ones will bring them. Don’t go to the hospital.
Police stations might sound like a good idea, but remember, that’s what everyone is going to think. These will be crowded with the needy, the hungry, the stupid, and the evil. Never mind that they are likely to have a jail full of people you wouldn’t want to be around in a normal situation, but think about how hostile prisoners would become if there is an emergency. Also, if there is a breakdown in law and order, what’s to say that police officers won’t take advantage of the situation? They are just humans after all. The type of people who will go to police stations will be desperate, and are probably doing so because they lack any skills to survive on their own. Don’t go to the police station. Find protection somewhere else.
Churches may sound like a haven, but the reality is probably far different. There are many easy means of access, the better for people to enter and exit, and this makes for a poor defensive structure. Also, the type of people whose first instinct is to go to church are probably going to be the type of people who are hoping for a higher power to bail them out. They probably forgot that god helps those who help themselves. Also, the louder their prayers, the louder the dinner bell rings for any nearby walkers. Avoid churches.
Warehouses can be a good place to defend yourself, considering that there are possibly many supplies and tools that might be able to be requisitioned. But there are also plenty of chances that there will be lots of places for zombies to break in. It can be hard to defend a warehouse if there are large doors to the outside and no electricity to open or close them reliably. Consider each warehouse individually before you attempt to convert it into a stronghold.
State houses, capitols, city halls, government buildings, and anything with the stamp of the state should be avoided at all costs. Remember, government is made up of people who more than likely couldn’t cut it in the real world. People take government jobs because of guaranteed benefits and security. These are the last people you want to place your trust in if the sh*t hits the fan. There is absolutely no good reason to ever believe that agents of the government are going to do anything other than look after themselves if trouble arises. Just look at any example like the flight from the embassy in Vietnam, with government workers punching escapees off of helicopters. These people have no scruples, and in the event of an emergency will be looking out for themselves. Do the same. Stay away from them.
The one exception to this rule are taking up haven in military bases. Soldiers tend to be highly skilled, professional, and motivated to public service. There are certainly exceptions, but for the most part, there is good reason to believe that you will be safe in a military base. Try and send a scout first to determine whether the base is staffed by those intent on defending civilians before your entire group surrenders themselves willingly into the hands of the military. If there is a total breakdown in law and order, even good soldiers can go bad. Proceed with caution.
And that’s it. Obviously there is much more that we could provide in terms of how to defend yourself against the walking dead, but we’re very busy preparing our stockpile of weapons, ammunition, and digging our vegetable garden. Don’t delay. Start yours today!
