Zombie Survival Plan
Do you have one? If not, you should start planning. I posted about this before, but I think it’s time to bring it back up again.
Previously I advocated fortifying in some well protected building with food supply. Since then I changed my mind. Think about it - what happens to all these people in Zombie movies who stay in urban areas? They die! Barricading yourself in a mall is only a temporary solution. You will soon be out of power and if the zombies figure out there are people inside the mall they will start to accumulate in the parking lots like in Dawn of the Dead.
If there are 6 zombies outside, you have a pretty good chance to escape. If there are 600 of them, leaving that mall might not be possible without some clever plan - like building a spiky armored bus with chainsaw ports or something. 
I think the best solution is to head for the most desolate, rural area you can think of. I live in NJ - one of the most densely populated states around so I’m pretty much screwed. I think the best option for me and my family would be to try to get out of the state. Me and my dad know some nice places in Catskills (Upstate New York) where we used to hike and fish. There are few small towns in the area, and lots of forests where you could camp out. I think if we could get out of NJ we could go into the mountains and camp out there. I have no clue where to get a gun around here, but there are at least 2 or 3 little gun shops up there in the mountains. I know because they also sold fishing equipment and bait. We could definitely loot one of them, or alternatively buy some guns if the town was not infected yet.
Few people around means less potential zombies to worry about. If you camp out in a remote area, living out of canned goods, fish and rarely go near the towns there is a good chance that zombies won’t be able to find you.
This would of course only be possible if we could find a safe passage out of NJ. Catskills are only about 3 hour drive from here but during a Zombie outbreak that might be a long trip.
Everyone should have a zombie survival plan. What is yours?
Related Posts:
May 1st, 2007 at 1:18 am (4276) [Quote]
My sentiments exactly. I used to be on board with the whole fortification idea. I even had a few places around town picked out. But the more I think about it the more I can’t help but think that idea is a death sentence.
The problem is that because zombies don’t have anything better to do, they can just out-wait you. If you stay in one place too long the zombies will just pile up. No matter how much food you store up, without a constant fresh supply, eventually you’ll run out. And like you said in your post, there’s no escaping once their numbers get excessive.
Anymore I’m on board with the keep-on-the-move strategy.
Posted usingMay 1st, 2007 at 1:56 am (4277) [Quote]
Chad, awesome blog you have there.
Roaming around can be dangerous. However, in those first hours the ratio of victims to zombies might be high enough to give you a running chance. There will be still a lot of people running around, making themselves easy targets, and not enough zombies to swarm your car. The only potential dangers are car pile-ups on the highways that can block your passage, or even worse - immobilize your vehicle.
However, once you get out of urban areas your chances for survival drastically improve.
Posted usingMay 1st, 2007 at 4:25 pm (4279) [Quote]
I think an ocean-going boat might be a good idea - make sure it has some ability to fish, some way of de-salinating sea water and your set.
Then you can flee to another continent if you have to, no zombies are going to follow you across the Atlantic
Posted usingMay 1st, 2007 at 5:11 pm (4280) [Quote]
Matt, I’ve actually got one better on you. I hit the geographic lottery when it comes to zombie survival.
As I sit typing this, I can turn my head slightly to the right and see one of the largest bodies of fresh water on the planet, Lake Erie. A 20 minute boat ride from the shore will get you to Kelleys Island, an island that has a total area of 12km (4.6 mi), complete with farms, homes, pubs restaurants and even a winery.
Assuming the zombies don’t do that walk-under-the-water trick from Land of the Dead, I’d pretty much be set for life.
Matt, Luke, if the shit hits the fan, you’re welcome to join me and my wife on the island.
Posted usingMay 1st, 2007 at 7:30 pm (4281) [Quote]
Chad Crawford said:
If the “zombiefication” is instantaneous like in the “28 days after” movie then you are correct. But if the infection takes a long time - say hours or even days like in Dawn of the Dead, you might be looking at possible outbreak on the island.
You can assume that once the shit hits the fan anyone who can find a boat will be heading for the island. This includes people who have been bitten, but didn’t turn yet.
Posted usingMay 1st, 2007 at 9:40 pm (4282) [Quote]
Luke, good point. I’d taken for granted it would be a 28 Days Later style outbreak. If it happens by “Dawn of the Dead” rules, things will be just as bad there as elsewhere.
I still think the island would be a safer setting than most spots on the mainland. If you were able to effectively destroy whatever zombies made it to the island, there wouldn’t really be too much concern about being invaded by new zombies.
But I’ve also forgotten one very important detail. If zombie movies have taught me anything, it’s that the real enemy isn’t zombies at all, but other humans.
A situation such as this will polarize personalities. Good people pre-apocalypse will be at their best during the crises. People who aren’t inherently good will become twisted in a world with no rules and few consequences, a world in which society has collapsed.
The real problem with trying to make a life on the island would be the ever-present danger of having a group of miscreants discover that it exists.
Posted usingMay 5th, 2007 at 9:00 pm (4310) [Quote]
That’s ocean-going yacht’s time to shine - you’re safe from non-pirate miscreants as well as zombies, and if you hide well away from normal ship routes then even pirates probably won’t notice you.
Even the underwater-walking zombies can’t get you (unless they form a giant pile, or figure out how to float, in which case you either have to move the boat by 100 yards or shoot them while they’re in the water)
Seriously though, zombies are pretty darn stupid - just turn the lights off, keep quiet and stay upstairs and they probably won’t notice that you’re still in your house
(A baby-gate at the top and bottom of the stairs is probably also an effective deterrent if they can’t actually see you)
Posted usingMay 6th, 2007 at 3:03 am (4311) [Quote]
Well, the ship has one disadvantage - limited food and water supply. You would have to make supply runs every once in a while unless you can manage to fish or find some space on the deck and enough loose soil to farm food for the crew.
Posted usingMay 30th, 2007 at 1:17 am (4618) [Quote]
I agree that an urban center is not ideal, but given the state of general mayhem and the gun-to-citizen ratio in the rural areas, there’s a good chance you’ll get blown to smitherenes by the living on that rural palace you’ve been eyeing. What about a totally different plan? A fall out shelter in a small town might be ideal. Small crowd of residents, thus small crowd of zombies. Built to withstand a nuclear bomb, so likely would allow a nice 10 - 20 year hibernation while you wait for vital tissues to decay. You could surface to a wolrd of paralyzed zombies, putting in head shots as you go.
Posted usingMay 30th, 2007 at 1:35 am (4619) [Quote]
Well, I think I’d rather negotiate peace terms with gun totting rednecks than starve to death in a fallout shelter in a suburb. Will the shelter have enough food to last 10-20 years?
If you are camping out in the forest somewhere you can do many things - you can hunt, fish, forage. Hell, you can even try to do some farming the land. Plus you are always mobile. If you spot zombies appearing in the area, you move, change the scenery and etc. And if you run into hostile locals you can always run for it, and move.
Hell, you can even decide to go back to civilization if roughing it in nature doesn’t work for you.
When you are camping in a shelter, you have very few options. Especially if the zombies figure out where you are and start swarming. As long as you don’t have a swarm of zombies overhead, you can be fine. But once you do, you are fucked.
I live in a small town, but it is surrounded by many other small towns. It’s a densely populated area and so there would be quite a few zombies running around here. So I’d really want to get out of NJ suburbs in case of an outbreak.
But somewhere else, in a real “small-town” area where the population is indeed sparse your idea might be viable. But then, it’s just a variant on our “get away from the cities and suburbs” plan. It’s just that you don’t have to get away from them cause you already live there.
Posted usingJune 5th, 2007 at 2:52 am (4680) [Quote]
Came across a blog post the other day that provides some good solid arguments against the “fortress” survival technique.
http://www.sciencepunk.com/v5/2007/05/zombies-and-the-science-of-siege -warfare/
More than ever I’m convinced staying on the move and foraging for supplies is the proper way to go.
Posted usingJune 5th, 2007 at 11:06 am (4685) [Quote]
Good find Chad! This is what we have been saying all along!
Posted usingJune 6th, 2007 at 9:11 am (4702) [Quote]
Too funny. We all need one of these plans! I think the red-necks would fall easy prey though - getting drunk, etc. I think they would find the zombie chicks hot, and get themselves zombified.
Posted usingJune 6th, 2007 at 9:49 am (4705) [Quote]
I also figured that rednecks will have shotguns, and will know how to use them much better than me. So if we get jumped by zombies, I can let my newly found country buddies shoot at them, while I execute a strategic retreat and leave the dangerous area.
Posted usingJuly 21st, 2007 at 2:59 am (5367) [Quote]
One thing is certain. Shotgun is weapon of choice, all with blunt weapon ideas do not realize the no-pain in the nervous system created by redeadedness(or whatever its called). A few other certain things follow- after the zombie epidemic is confirmed by whichever government is in control of that territory, it will be eradicated unless it is fast, as some of u said.Also, like in Dead Rising, there will be multiple phycopaths, are already, and they will either sit in a corner and cry or try to beat the shizit out of you. Therefore, me living in California, i have an array of legal guns to use along with an awesome tank-rental National Guard association near. Last year, a phycopath stole a tank and ranover cars on the highway. If he could do it, my family would as well.
Posted usingAs for taking people in, i would love to have my mother, who is a cardiovascular technitian who is strong in any medical situation, to check if any joiners have bites. After the tank is driven to…umm… well, havent decided yet. May join u guys on lake erie, but if you think about it Costco would have a lot of food in it, etc. if my stepfather/father and anyone else is up for it, we could cut a hole in the wall and shoot consistently at upcoming zombies, while plotting escape.
have fun contemplating
July 21st, 2007 at 3:16 am (5368) [Quote]
Oh man! I like the tank idea. Zombie roadkill!
Costco is good if you only plan to camp there for a few days. But note that once the electricity goes, this will be just another un-airconditioned, windowless building. Half of the food will go bad and start rooting. After a week or two, the stench will probably be unbearable.
Also, our argument about being overrun still holds. But then again, if you have a tank parked outside, then I guess the escape from the building would not be so difficult. You just need to make sure you have enough fuel to get clear of zombies.
There would be nothing worse than getting stuck in that tank in a middle of a huge zombie crowd..
Posted usingDecember 2nd, 2007 at 11:36 pm (7212) [Quote]
Here’s the most practical answer…Colorado, or somewhere comparable in geographic location….it’s mild enough to grow crops in the spring and summer…but cold enough in the winter that Zombies will freeze..making defense much easier.
Stay away from water…dead things float..and eventually currents will take the outbreak everywhere. Elevation, and climate are the keys to survival.
Posted usingHeight equals a passive defense..let the natural laws of physics and gravity work in your favor. Let the weather be your brick wall when possible.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:58 am (7213) [Quote]
Very good points. One thing though - you actually do want to stay close to a source of water - I mean, you need water to survive. But as you said, it’s probably a good idea to stay away from major rivers.
However a mountain spring, or a secluded lake would not be so bad.
Posted usingDecember 3rd, 2007 at 7:49 am (7218) [Quote]
One more reason to stay somewhere with elevation and freeing temps….snow melts
Posted usingDecember 3rd, 2007 at 3:08 pm (7229) [Quote]
you know i like that boat idea. just de-salinate the water and catch fish and your set. just hope you dont get sea-sick or something. that would probobly be the best idea then if the whole world was infected. not to mention ever thought zombies probobly cant reproduce, (be gross thinkin bout it
) so going somewhere and making a permanent trap and just louring zimbies into it for a long time would also be workable so if you can kill them all someday you could start trying to find others…
Posted usingDecember 3rd, 2007 at 6:58 pm (7232) [Quote]
The only possible pitfall I see with that is the potential for equipment failure: engines needing service or spare parts, desalination equipment failure, or just plain running out of gas.
But here’s an idea…offshore oil platforms
They’re stable, in a more or less fixed position and have the desalination equipment as well as living space. I used to work on one, and they range in size from floating shacks to cities in the ocean.
The only thing that would provide a hazard would be bad weather (hurricanes, North Sea winter storms, ect) or simply running out of supplies.
One thing that will always be a hazard in the open seas is the threat of floating zombies…once a body starts decomposing and filling up with methane, it will simply become a floating death machine…it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that the oceans and major rivers will be full of floating zombies waiting to latch onto a slow moving or stationary boat or swimmer.
I personally, am still in favor of hunkering down somewhere in the mountains near or on the snow line…once a zombie freezes in the winter, it can be disposed of fairly easily.
Posted usingThe climate will be reasonably mild enough to sustain life, grow food, andwith enough vegetation and forestry to build an ample defensive structure…or even a series of structures that are connected. It will also provide a reasonable proximity to local law enforcement stations or national guard and other military instillations…you can assume they will be empty and still very well stocked…how can the government expect people to be soldiers and man a checkpoint while their families are on the menu for a pack of roaming zombies…so checkpoints and bases will have been deserted when the outbreak reaches crisis proportions (one of the main reason it will spiral out of control).
December 4th, 2007 at 2:11 am (7238) [Quote]
Re: oil platforms - I guess we could visit Sealand.
But yeah, I agree - an oil platform or a ship is no better than a mall when it comes to long term survival stuff. They are small, confined, and you must hit up the shore for supplies every once in a while.
Also, I think that army bases would end up being staffed and defended till the end. Note that significant portion of the soldiers may have their closest family living with them on the base. So I imagine these things would turn into relatively safe heavens where zombies would face well armed defenses. I would imagine these things turning into little military states of their own.
Now the question is, if you bump into an army patrol will they shoot you just in case you are infected? Will they let you be? Or will they drag you forcefully into the base.
Posted usingDecember 4th, 2007 at 8:59 am (7243) [Quote]
Army bases aren’t near as secure as you’d think….theyre relatively open with little or no hardened security/fortifications in place..
I could see military bases turning into mini states…especially if maritial law is declared…at that point every one will become moving targets, basically.
Once Zombies start to concentrate on population centers..it will be come a war of attrition….does the army run out of zombies to shoot before it runs out of bullets on hand….units will get overrun do to simple force of numbers, in my opinion.
The military as a viable resource will have a small window of opportunity when the outbreak is in it’s early stages…before the streets are swamped with the undead…if they arent able to contain it at that point…they’ll be more of a slow moving obstacle than anything helpful…and eventually they’ll become lunch just like everyone else.
Posted usingDecember 27th, 2007 at 2:07 am (7487) [Quote]
I like all the ideas you guys have but there really is no perfect way to excape a horde of zombies. The remaning mobile plan is that you will have to plan everything out such as distance, fuel consumption and possibility of being stopped in your tracks by zombies. A motorcycle has plenty of manueverability but zero protection and there is still a high possibility os crashing into something. SUVs and suburbans and similar vehicles are useless because they have no off road abilities. Big rigs and even buses are a good idea despite their lack of both maneuverability and off road capabilities but make up for it with both power enough to go through partially blocked roads, have high windows so even if you run out of gas or become stranded zombies cannot reach up and get a bite of you. Also these vehicles have lots of storage space so its possible to remain off road with no worry of storage space.
Personally I would take a truck outfited with large wheels high off the ground and be armed with as much fire power as it can hold. i’ve read plenty of books on trapping and an animal is just like a zombie (concerned with only survival). Using choke holdand trail tactics combined with precausion and excellent shooting there would be no problems.
The fortress idea sounds pretty good to me but there’s one place you guy’s havent mentioned. Jails! They were of course designed to keep people in but they also keep people out. If there were a breach past the brick walls or fences (depends on the style and security of the jail) each cell block and cell. Even if these areas were claimed by the undead they could be reclaimed by dispatching and removing them.
Castles of almost any kind would be great but this isnt the middle ages and only rich tycoons have those so don’t count on them.
The only weapon mentioned on this site as far as i could see was a shot gun. While yes ideal for blowing off the heads of incoming zombies but have bulky ammo and are useless at long range. Personally I would shoot any moron using a weapon that has only full auto capabilities because its a huge waste of ammo and again unreliable for a sure shot relying on a barage of bullets for a kill. Why use 10 well aimed rounds for one head shot when you can accomplish the same result with a handgun (close range) or a scope shot (long distance)? No matter what gun you plan to use you need to train with it a lot. Hitting a human head isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies. If it can be cleaned do so often for both maintanence and so if it malefunctions or jams you’ll know very quickly. If your serious about combating the undead you need to realize the posibility of losing your weapon or running out of ammo and must face a zombie without relying on a projectile. For this reason i myself have trained in mashal arts focusing mainly on breaking out of holds rather than deliveing blows. As a last resort for a weapon (if no others are availible) duck tape a piece of unsharpend tin can like a gauntlet with a long nail tied to a string. This is useful because its both simple and allows you to use hands. By putting your wrist all the way back it forma sharp close range weapon ready to be sent through the eye.
As far as hand weapons go the crow bar is the golden boy. It can bash and skewer zombies and also useful for looting houses and stores. Knives, machetes, swords are great because of their variety. Knives should be fix bladed and slick edged. Swords are tricky because many on the market arn’t meant for actual battle so if you have the tools to do so try and make your own. Avoid throwing knives due to the skill needed to use them.
For those people who think its smart to go to islands or cold climates DONT!!!!!! This makes a possibility for multigenerational threat. Imagine thinking your safe after years of siege and get thrown right back into the fire again.Ocean currents would send bodies to every corner of the planet. The only hope in this case would be the fact that flesh will degradeand literally fall apart after prolonged submersion. My last pieces of advice are stay in a group of highly skilled of around 5-10 to remain hiden and leave multiple options when entering anew situation and when entering a new area dont go near the groung unless absolutly necesary. Farewll and stay zombie free (or I’ll have to kill you..er..again?)
Posted usingDecember 27th, 2007 at 2:33 pm (7497) [Quote]
Very good points there. The jail idea is pretty cool - these places are designed to confine prisoners, and be easily locked down in case of trouble. Even in case of a breach you might be able to shut off access to certain parts of the prison. You can also use the built in security features to trap and dispatch zombies (ie. lock them in a cell, and shoot/chop them from up close). But as with the mall, and other similar concepts it is flawed - if you get overrun, you are fucked. While a prison might be safer place to hide than a mall, you will still be likely starve to death if you get cut off from the outside world.
Using a truck also poses some limitations. Trucks are noisy - they might attract zombies from far away. This may become an issue when you make a longer pit stop. The also rely on fuel so you must cruise the roads and be on the lookout for gas stations. Depending on the area, gas stations may be home to zombies - so you will have to make choices. You either risk combat and refuel, or skip the station and risk getting stuck somewhere down the road when you run out of gas.
Posted usingDecember 31st, 2007 at 10:02 pm (7550) [Quote]
It is true if your perimiter was breached there would be no way out unless you already had a back up plan for each fallout point you are pretty much screwed. But think of all the alarms placed at a jail which are programed to trigger in the instance of a breach. You would have warning if not time to either prepare or eliminate the treat and seal any breach in the security of the compound. If the power was cut this would be one of the first things you would hook up to a back up generator. I don’t know for sure but it makes sense to me that they would have one to avoid a mass breakout and in this case a break in. Its not a question of wether or not this is dangerous and would result easily in your death if anything went wrong but how could a bunch of brain dead zombies break in when some of the most intelligent people failed at. If you have ever been to a jail you would see that there is almost no way other than leaping or useing their fellow dead as a stair case to get over the walls. Sewers and other pipeline structures could be an entry point but these locations would probably be cut offrom the undead due to the fact that thaty cant climb out of the toilet. It would be easy access for a plumber under guard but when no work is being done its almost certain that it would be sealed. Of course the first thing you should do if you decide on this strong hold is secure the area. Kill and dispose of any and all zombies or infected prisoners and or guards. (Note. If possible extract any information about the compound and how it was breached if you find someone infected before disposing of them. This could save lots of time and energy. The main worry should be that the doors are all locked and or barricaded. Don’t worry about the walls especially if their concete reinforced (every jail in the states) because unless the zombies have weapons of mass destruction your pretty much safe. Supplies should be your first worry before even entering a strong hold in case you are trapped. The most efficient way would be going some where there wont be a lot of people(depends on rate of infection) and stock up. Acuire a big rig specifically one with a big ass trailer and load up. If you have others with you get anyone who can drive one to do so and fill those with supplies too. Priotities 1 Vehicles are very important so that you can get away and transport massive amounts of supplies compared to trying to run with it. 2 Weapons because during the begining this will be an obvious thing to get so if you find a gun shop that hasn’t been looted yet grab every gun and box of ammo and run.Tip: Just because money is no longer an issue dont be shy to look at the price tag. The more it cost the more durability andfeatrures it will have. 3 Food and water are hand in hand because its most likely you will find them at the same spot. $ This is where you need to think of where you’re going. If you’re going to a jail stock up on power tools, lumber, metal, generators & fuel, and if possible go by a radio shack or something. A pair of radios plus batteries are a huge help when used with an ear piece. Remote control cars could be used to lure zombies away or to deliver an explosive charge. 5 Medicines and other things we take for granted that help the body to recouperate. Fortunately if you go to a jail they will have most everything you might need as long as you dont need major surgery. Dont discount a good mattress or sofa because jails dont exactly expend their budget making their inmates comfortable.
Posted usingJanuary 1st, 2008 at 3:20 am (7553) [Quote]
I agree, out of all the hiding spots, a jail would probably be the best because of the things you mentioned above.
The only problem I see with the Jail scenario is this:
If for some reason the jail gets surrounded by a throng of 10,000 zombies then you have no way to re-supply yourself. See the Dawn of the Dead scenario where the people were trapped in a mall, completely surrounded and cut off.
But that’s pretty much the problem with any fortress-type scenario.
Then again, if you turtle-up you can stockpile food and resources. When you choose to be on-the-move you can only take a limited amount of food and ammo with you so you.
I guess there is no perfect solution here.
Posted usingJanuary 1st, 2008 at 10:23 pm (7561) [Quote]
A convoy would be the perfect solution for the senario you mentioned above. I did all the math and lets just say that the trailer of a semi is 8*6*15 and you used MREs (Meals ready to eat) which are about 1*1*2 and have enough calories for three days. This means you would have about 3 full years worth of food. No matter what chances are three years is plenty of time to figure something out if you got swamped by zombies. Of course other supplies will be needed but these can be strapped to the roof giving you much more room.
Posted usingJanuary 1st, 2008 at 11:11 pm (7563) [Quote]
A semi has one major drawback…..maintenance.
As far as sustenance, food is never the most pressing issue. It’s water. Carrying potable water can be a challenge (at 8.8 pounds / gallon…give or take). Water sources will constantly have to be sterliized to the point of insanity if you are roaming.
After doing a lot of brainstorming on it…(nothing else to do on Xmas break) I’ve come to the following conclusion:
There will be only a sporadic supply of fuel…as supplies will be looted and pirated early on..leaving the best stocks of petroleum supplies largely in the hands of people with the most firepower, or in dead cities teeming with the undead…
Major roads will be near impassible at major chokepoints such as cities or major interchanges. All it would take to cause chaos on the roadways for dozens of miles would be for zombies to wander onto the freeway….a major accident leads to traffic, which leads to zombies wandering amonst the gridlock…looking to get into the cars….next thing you know…traffic is backed up for 100 miles….within an hour, the freeway is a 100 mile ato graveyard..with the dead and dieing mixed in for good measure.
More than a few major cities (possibly all) could end up being burnt out craters…a superpower with cutting edge weapons and a zombie problem can only lead to some heavy duty bombing…maybe even THE BOMB.
If a city is completely overrun….using a low yield nuke does seem like a practical solution for containment….so expect at least have a dozen strikes.
Even using a fortress approach has it’s drawbacks…as people will almost certainly revert to a nomadic and tribal mindset….not every survivor will be happy to see you…won’t want to share…and may even try to kill you to get what you have.
My gut tells me that somewhere above the snowbelt is the best bet…keep the dead heads frozen for as much of the year as possible…but the best chance at assistance will mean staying close to the coast….I would think nuclear powered naval vessels will be about the only truly self sufficient outfits around….think about it….a carrier battle group would have mostly nuclear warships…all the weapons and transportation it needs, and land and air vehicles to make limited and short ranged recon of the shoreline.
Though, sadly, I would expect them to view most civilians as potentially hostile and offer only limited assistance.
What Im saying is….I have come to the conclusion that I have no idea what is truly fool proof. Except, head for the snow and try to keep the shore within a short distance…and pray like hell for a miracle.
Posted usingJanuary 2nd, 2008 at 8:40 pm (7567) [Quote]
Absolutely true no plan is fool proof so all we can do is speculate on which is the best. The jail senario I’m talking about is’nt anywhere close enough to a city to feel the effects of even the most devestating bomb strike. I’ve decided that there is definitly one fortress idea that could very well be perfect. A Bio-dome. These are designed to sustain life without dependence on the outside world. If it were fortified it would be a perfect way to excape an infection. Accepting other survivors would be impossible because most of these domes are programed not toopen until mm/dd/yy. These are usually in areas away from cities so they wouldn’t be surrounded by huge hordes of undead. Even if you can’t find one it might be possible to build one. I know a place where I can get huge plastic tanks that I could turn into one. If done properly this could definitely withstand a horde because these things are very durable. The place im talking about has literally hundreds of these things and are often surrounded by high fences so it might be possible to grab as many as posible and take them to a place like a jail or a mall that will take a while for the dead to get into or build it on site. Even better take them to a huge hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot. Building materials are essential for this project and no better place to be. These are often located in small or medium size cities cities because letsa face it how many people in an urban area will do any home remodeling themselves. This means that if you find one there is likely to be grocery stores and other places even the occasional gunshops near by. The only setback is the windows but if you had enough time you could barricade these heavily with wood and even concrete. But as a back up these places have tall shelves that could be climbed to excape the zombies that might breach your defenses. They also have these huge bars of metal going across the roof so if the zombies were able to climb the shelves all you would have to do is toss a line over and climb up. If this occured you could use the same line that got you up to position and lower yourself down to any supplies you might need or left behind even work on your bio-dome. One last thing if you were able to get to one of the other supply places near by you could attach a line to each building on the roof and pull it tight so you could zip down it if it was at an angle or scoot across over the heads of zombies. This might seem dangerous but if tied right at both ends including break knots which catch if one breaks and are securede to the line it really would bepretty easy. The only problem might be at the other store if it wasn’t secured before a zombie horde arrived. But still if cleared out you could stock pile your bio-dome with lots of resources before shuting yourself in.
Posted usingJanuary 29th, 2008 at 7:43 pm (7899) [Quote]
While an island that is populated might be a bad idea, as there is a chance of an infestation, a house boat on a small lake could be perfect. You can make small runs to the shore to hit a house or two when needed, and, where I live at least, the houses on the lake are usually expensive, so they’ll be stocked with everything you need. When you’re not foraging in the houses, you can sit on the boat and relax. If you pick a body of water with fish, you can fish for your food as well. And, there’s no need to worry about walk-under-the-water zombies, as long as you keep your anchor up. (That is, of course, assuming zombies can climb.)
It has all the perks of the yacht idea posted by Matt’ without the danger.
Great posts and ideas!
Velkyn
Posted usingJanuary 29th, 2008 at 11:37 pm (7901) [Quote]
A bit off topic, while staying slightly on topic
World War Z…….probably the most realistic and detailed observation of a zombie outbreak on a worldwide scale. I couldn’t put it down….
George Rameros Diary of the Dead comes out next month…an updated start to the whole zombie/dead series.
Islands and boats have potential drawback….zombies will float due to decomposition gases….the currents will take them every which way…and the waterways of the world will be filled with possibly millions of them.
It would bite ass to have zombies caught in your intake or propeller blades.
Any shoreline would potentially be teeming with zombies….refugees who tried to escape by water and got left behind will be zombie bait, and eventually zombies, themselves.
Pirates are another hazard, so pack lots of heat…the zombies won’t be the only things hunting us.
I think its a safe assumption that between 10-30% of the population of the country will be infected in the initial chaos, best case scenario; worst case is more along the lines of 50-75%. Thats between 30 and 250 million more or less…..the more i’ve thought about it….the more I’m starting to think it will be a miracle if any of us get out alive.
Basically, they will be everywhere..and swarms of them could reach dimensions rivaling a small town…miles upon miles of zombies packed together trying to get at a person, or people.
I honestly don’t know what the best answer would be.
Posted usingJanuary 30th, 2008 at 12:14 am (7903)