For those that might not be aware (those like me) Discovery is airing season two of a very interesting and pertinent series titled “The Colony”.  According to Discovery, the premise behind this series is as follows:

“THE COLONY is an experiment that simulates a post-apocalyptic world in which volunteers are tasked with surviving and rebuilding everything from scratch, using only raw ingenuity and supplies they scavenge from their environment. Here’s your destination to learn more about these bold experiments into a dark future that holds the promise of hopeful regeneration.”

Their season premier caught my eye immediately.

But the show is not about zombies, right?

Correct.  It is not about zombies.  However, when the undead walk and pillage the earth, would that not be a global catastrophe?  Surely many, if not most, of the issues the colonists in this television series face could apply to a post-outbreak world.  The basic concepts of survival and pushing beyond such a horrific event would still apply.  How do you know that your way of finding out about the attack would not come from some type of instant quarantine where you have very little control over how you react?

Despite what many believe, when zombies attack, it will not be as simple as grabbing your fully automatic shotgun with unlimited ammunition and hopping into the tank that is parked in your backyard. You will most likely not find yourself in a totally secure area with loads of basic supplies.  Chances are you are not an excellent marksman with years of training as a survivalist.

Chances are, you are a regular Joe.  If that is the case, how would you survive.  And not just that, how you would move forward?

So while this series is fictional and not surrounding a zombie-centered plot, The Colony is great research for gathering and collecting survival tips for when we are finally face to face with the zeds.

Whether you are trying to get to your stronghold or trying to get away from it you going to need to pick a means of transport. Here we take a brief look at various means of mobility, from your mom’s sedan to your own two feet and grit.

Even if you think you have prepared for every possible event there will still be those that you don’t think of. Those events are the ones that will cause you to reevaluate your situation and eventually you may have to abandon, either under your own accord or under fire, to a possibility more secure area, simply to flee your own death. The cause of your flight might mean that you have no other option other than to use your feet, on the other hand you might be able to pick the means by which you leave, and if that is so you will have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages.

Cars, Trucks, and other Gas Guzzlers: While any kind of large vehicle will mean that you will be able to carry far more than you would otherwise be able to on you back they are not perhaps the best choice if you are planning to hold out in an area of an extremely extended time period. First off even with stabilizers fuel will only last so long and there are other issues, such as the batteries to be concerned able when dealing with a vehicle that will sit for months or years at a stretch without significant use. Also, another concern that some may have is that modern vehicles could possibly be disabled if a nuclear device were to be exploded, be that at low level or at high altitude, which in turns means that the options for motorized transport are severally limited. Barring nuclear war, the fact that modern vehicles are often not the easiest to maintain and once all fuel has been used they become little more than an obstacle in traveling down a deserted road. Also, another concern would be agility and the ability to maneuver in close contact with hostile, dead or alive, as well as the fact that a running vehicle in a world devoid of such things would bring more than a little interest from the locals, even if they were not hostile.

Bicycles: While they are not as fast or do they as easily haul as much as a car or truck they are easier to maintain and the necessary parts to do repairs are not as numerous compared to having to lug an entire transmission just in case the current one goes to hell. They are also much quieter than almost any motorized vehicle and that gives you a better chance of seeing a possible ambush before you are in it. However, a bicycle offers no armor except what you might be wearing on your person. A skilled marksman might very possibly be able to take you out before you are able to react or put up a fight, also a single strand of wire across a path or road could mean you death if you choose to take the path of least resistance. However, for ease of use and the ability to care more than what you could just on your back with less work they are hard to beat.

Trains: While the idea of having a large heavy vehicle that could simply run over an obstacle that is in it’s way may seem like the perfect idea the train is simply not that. The modern pseudo-tactical gamer who thinks they know everything, and think a dessert eagle is not only tactical but can be fired quickly and accurately, has long held that bigger is better. I name this the tank mentality. The bigger, the heavier, the more bang, the better whatever it is. Supersize it and paste a cannon on top and nothing can stop you, forget what common sense says and run everyone over. A train might seem ideal for transport but their possible courses are easily found and either blocked or destroyed all together. Trains also bring the issue of a learning curve that a train is not something that you can simply jump in and drive. But together the requirement for training, the fixed courses, and the great consumption of fuel, a train is perhaps the worst possible choice, next to a skateboard, or a unicycle.

On Foot: Unless you are missing a leg or confined to a wheelchair you standard means of motion are your own legs. From time immemorial man has moved across countries and continent on his own two feet. While you do not have the ability to carry luxury items that you might with a truck or even a car, or the mechanical advantage of a bicycle, walking has the advantage of not having to worry about mechanical failure. While you are still open to the element being on foot means that you will be able to more readily disappear into the brush, maneuver past obstacle, and in general hide from hostiles or sneak around those who might do you harm, be they living or undead variety. With some keen wits, and a little training this very well might be your best bet when your survival is at stake.

Many of us have already seen Hollywood’s production of Zombieland and admired the rules portrayed.  It was refreshing to see a character in a zombie film actually have some very common sense guidelines that were followed on an almost religious basis.  However, it is still Hollywood and they are bound to screw stuff up.  So without giving away too much of the film for those who have not seen it, let’s focus on one of the rules mentioned in the film: “Survival Rule #22: Know Your Way Out”.

To avoid any spoilers, there is a scene toward the end of the movie where some of the characters make a very poor decision as to where to they feel would be a safe place to hide from the undead.  What they actually did was place themselves in a very dangerous situation that without assistance, they would have never survived.  When I got to this point in the movie, I actually thought they were dead because of the poor choice they made.  When the undead are coming after you, think quick, be aware of what is around you, and always have an exit.

• Pay Attention: When you are on the move you have to think quickly.  You could easily have found yourself in a new location and have no idea how to get out.  If you run into a building, pay attention to possible exits or “safe spots”.  You have to have 360 degree view.  It is not enough to merely run away and hope you end up some place safe.  You have to scan the area in case you need to come back.
• Leave a Trail: Also from Zombieland, regarding Survival Rule #22, we saw one of the characters in the film pay careful attention to this.  During a run into a building, and before heading back to a more suspicious area, this character propped open a door in case a quick exit was needed.  Naturally, you want to quickly scan what is on the other side, but leaving a trail or a marker for quick escape routes can make your life as a non-zombie a little longer.
• Known Locations: If you are going to hold up in a specific place and plan on being there for a while, you should always have an escape route.  Hollywood brought this point up with Night of the Living Dead when several survivors attempted to wait it out in the basement of a house.  One way in, one way out.  In our opinion, this is a very poor strategy and we saw how it paid off.  Whenever possible, have an exit and memorize it.
• Scenarios: The best way to stay alive is to run through scenarios.  That is why we post them here.  They keep you thinking.  If you are out to eat, think about what would happen if zombies invaded at that moment.  Think about your home, work, car, friends apartment, video store, strip club (now there would be an interesting scenario), etc.

Remember, Hollywood will usually get it wrong, but we can learn from their mistakes and increase our ability to survive the undead apocalypse.

Stay safe.  Stay informed.  Stay alive.

The carrier of a disease or virus, is known as patient zero. During a zombie outbreak this person may be very important to ending the outbreak, because they either begin the outbreak or they may even be immune to the virus and within them may lay a cure or vaccine. Now, the first person they infect is patient one. The question is, what happens when patient one is you?

While the odds are slim that anyone of us may be the first person to actually be infected, however it is not out of the realm of possibility, distant as it may be. Nevertheless the infection must begin somewhere and if those who are there when it begins are able to react and put it down quickly. However, it is unlikely that you will have full tactgear or your zombie rig on you when a sudden outbreak occurs and more than likely there will be casualties. What if you are among them?

What this situation raises is the question of what you will do in this situation. Do you decide to slowly turn, losing your very humanity by the hour till you walk among the dead and infect those around you? Or do you end the infection with yourself, and save countless lives.

We are all well aware of how the general public is oblivious to zombies and what will happen during an outbreak.  It is only fair to warn as many people as possible.  Via the Zombies Are Coming Twitter account, we have seen a couple of people do their part.  You can, too.For those who work in an office environment, or have access to one, you have no doubt seen the bulletin board with typical human resource type materials posted, such as equal employment hiring notices, workers compensation, and various legal documents that have to be posted.  This is the perfect place for the Zombie Emergency Procedure document.  In fact, not only do we want you to post these, but we want to see the results!

1. First, download the flyer via Eatliver.com and print out a few copies.
2. Take a photo of where the flyer has been posted.
3. Upload the photo somewhere and post the link here on Twitter and reference @Zombies_Coming
4. Be sure to include your location, such as New York or Australia

Twitter user Andy has found one such instance already in Georgia.

This is one way of promoting zombie safety and awareness and ensuring the world will survive the outbreak.

Stay safe. Stay informed. Stay alive.

As I sit and wonder what a post-zombie apocalypse world will actually be like, I cannot help but wonder what the human race that is left will be.  Imagine what a person will actually have to do in order to survive a violent outbreak of the undead. I have no doubts they will be changed forever, yet I wonder what characteristics a person must possess in order to survive such a catastrophic event.  Will the criminal element prove to be a survival tool?

• Can you steal a car? You might be asking what that has to do with a zombie outbreak and survival.  The roads might be chaotic, but then again, there might be roads that can be traveled, especially if you are going shorter distances.  Considering you could easily be without a vehicle, how would you go about getting one to use?  Even if you have a vehicle, there is a good chance something could happen to it causing you to seek alternate transportation.  Should you need a car, I doubt calmly approaching someone in the midst of chaos unlike any other and asking them for their keys will work.  Theft might be the only viable option.
• Craftiness: Can you break into a commercial location, residence, or other location with what you have around you?  I am not talking about just throwing a rock through a window, but accessing what appears to be a locked location.  Do you have the knowledge of getting in where you need to?  Hopefully none of us are just sitting around thinking of ways to burglarize a persons home or place of business.  We do not endorse crime here at ZAC.  However, when faced with a charging horde of zombies, being able to enter and secure a building can be quite the needed tool.
• Murder: Are you capable of taking a life?  You might argue that you are not killing something that is already dead.  True.  What about someone who has been bitten and not yet turned?  Is it in you to remove the threat or will your inability to do what needs to be done be your fate?  One might argue that killing someone who is bitten/infected is doing them a favor since they will eventually die anyway.  Another argument is that killing is self-defense is not a crime.  Regardless of your position, you need to be prepared to stand your ground or run really fast.

Not everything above is solely based on a criminal mind.  I could easily foresee arguments that once the dead walk the earth many, if not all, of the rules are thrown out the window.  And the other trick is how long you can utilize the criminal element in order to survive.  Should you continue in those ways, you might find yourself in the moral dilemma discussed here by Kain in “Morals After The Fall“.

The Cliff-Notes version of this post is basically to ask this: are you prepared to do everything you need to do to survive?

Stay safe. Stay informed.  Stay alive.

Let’s face it.  Nobody knows where or when the attack will come.  All we know is that one day we will all have to face off against the undead.  The best way to prepare is to consider as many scenarios as possible.  This month’s scenario is simple: your home.

This scenario involves your home and those in it.  For this discussion, you find yourself asleep in bed.  It is the middle of the night.  Odd sounds can be heard from outside the house.  Sounds you immediately recognize as the moans of the undead.  As you get out of bed, your mind is racing as to what to do.  Sirens can be heard in the distance.  You look out of the nearest window and can see several of the undead, but are not sure as to how large the threat is.  Do you go mobile?  Is your home ready for a long-term stand-off?  Are there others you need to worry about inside your home?  Are you in an upstairs apartment or ranch style home surrounded by woods?  This scenario should really help get the wheels turning in regards to how prepared your home is in addition to how quickly you could put your plan into action, especially in the middle of the night.

What do you do next?

“Zombie Scenario” is meant as a learning and discussion exercise used as a tool for getting your mind thinking about the outbreak.  It should prove helpful to think about a specific scenario and have others review your potential plan.  If you have a scenario you would like to see discussed, contact us.

Stay safe.  Stay informed. Stay alive.

Follow us: www.twitter.com/Zombies_Coming

Stay safe.  Stay informed.  Stay alive.

When the outbreak happens, and believe us folks, it will happen, what would you consider to be the biggest threat against the living?  Would you say the lack of preparation, the inability to fight off the undead, the difficulty and strain of basic survival?  I would argue a different point.  Our greatest challenge will be the living.

This was a reader submitted topic.  Thank you for your continued support and valued comments.  While we may not have the time to reply to every email, we certainly read them and appreciate them.  With that said, here is a direct excerpt from a reader’s email to us about this very topic:

“With the inevitable turmoil of people across the world that the zomb-holocaust is bound to stir, our already overpopulated country (the US in my case, at least) will without a doubt cause mass panic, traffic, riots, and crime. Stores will be looted, people shot, electronics hacked, stolen, and broken, protestors, and not to mention religious upset. Not to mention the suicide factor.”

Here are some discussion points to consider:

• Panic: People by nature will panic, evoke greater chaos, and be generally their own worst enemies.  As mentioned above, the undead bring with them a very complicated set of issues to deal with.  The living introduce an entirely different set of issues which also have to be dealt with.  Many will be unable or unwilling to cooperate or help other living human beings.  Stores will be looted, fights and turmoil will be commonplace, and the living will also kill the living when they should focus their attention on the undead.  Be ready for this.
• System: Develop a plan.  Develop a plan.  After that, develop a plan.  Having a game plan will help guide you as much as possible.  But think broader picture.  Think beyond your own family, friends, and surrounding area.  It would not hurt to have a plan for communicating across greater distances, notifying people of survivors, and working together.  You might not be in a position to impact others across vast distances, but wouldn’t you rather be ready in case the opportunity came about?
• Decisions: At some point, you will have to make a decision to stay with a group or make it on your own.  Now, on your own could mean with your family or totally by yourself.  However, you may also encounter another group of survivors, possibly a very large group.  You will need to evaluate your plan and how their presence will effect that.  Some groups might be misinformed, unable to deal with the truth that there actually is a zombie outbreak, or adamant about remaining in an unsafe position.  You will have to assess this quickly in order to survive.
• Life: Surely, somewhere, during the outbreak, someone will come to another point in their life where they will have to decide who lives and who does not.  This confrontation will most likely be living person to living person.  Are you ready to take out someone who will eventually get you killed?  If not, do you have a back-up plan ready to subdue this person long enough to navigate to safety?  Are you ready to keep your life?

The basic gist is that the unknown factor of how the living will respond to the undead will have as much determination on our survival as anything else.  As much as we can prepare for the dead, we also have to prepare for the living.

Stay safe.  Stay informed.  Stay alive.

The holidays are typically a time for everyone to relax and unwind, spending time with families and preparing for the new year.  Sadly, many become too lax in their celebration of the holidays and forget that the coming tides of the undead apocalypse could happen at any moment. That is why we have prepared this quick guide of five holiday tips for preparing for the zombie outbreak.

1. Eat Healthy: Remember not to gorge yourself into a carb-coma.  Eating the wrong foods will slow you down so that making a proper is more difficult than it should be.
2. Access to Food During Outbreak: It is common place for there to be more food around the family table this time of year.  As family’s gather and spend time with one another, finding food is no difficult task.  Be sure you know where quick storage devices are in the case of an outbreak.  Until you are able to assess how long the outbreak will last, it is best to have some portable food.  Since food is more abundant during the holidays, keep some quick bags or Tupperware handy in case you need to grab some food for a mobile defense.
3. Offensive Weaponry: If you are half-asleep in the living room, chances are you are not going to be able to react too quickly.  However, consider the items around you that could be immediately used for offense.  Table legs could be used as clubs, yard tools (if accessible), and even kitchen knives if need be.
4. Defensive Positioning: Should you feel comfortable in the level of the outbreak to make a stand where you are, quickly locate items to fortify your position.  Tables and other furniture should be used to secure main entry points.  When you arrive at your holiday celebration location, quickly assess the items that are around to see what you could immediately use if needed.  If it is not a house you are familiar with, use the excuse of going to the bathroom to quickly check for structural weaknesses and at least come up with a quick plan on using the house or staging your exit.
5. Escape Routes: This should be in the back of your mind everywhere you go, but escape routes should always be running through your minds should you not be able to stand your ground where you are.  If you are at a family’s house, park your car where you can easily get it out to travel.

Naturally, we are not encouraging you to stand guard at the living room window with your Glock and MZPK  (even though your MZPK should be nearby).  What we want to encourage is enjoying time with your family but also staying well aware that the dead could easily walk the earth during the holidays.

Take heed to these steps, friends.  When the outbreak happens we need to be as prepared as possible.

Stay safe. Stay informed.  Stay alive.