Zombie Threat Meter Update

We are officially at a Level 2. I have seen quite some strange things as of late. Zombies procured in shops, a higher number of cob webs and many ghost. I think we may be under siege.

Double checking those plastic looking zombies,

The wife

Scenario Sundays - School - The breakdown

Last sunday, our scenario involved being at school when the zombie apocalypse occurred. So what did you think you would do?

Here's what I would do. Since the entrance and myself are at the front of the room, it gives me a little more room to work with. The kids, they are going to be terrified (depending on age, I envisoned elementary aged school children). My thought is grab the teachers chair as I would be near it since I am presenting (so I took the approach that I was discussing my zombie fighting career). Use the chair to push her back out that door and shut it. Lock it if possible. She's going to try and get in and there is a classroom of little scaried kids. Now you can either exit through the nearest window leaving the kids there to fend for themselves or protect them. At the local elementary school, the door to the hallway is solid, no glass. So I would not be worried about the teacher getting in. I would next call the school office (of course I have my cellphone) and try to find out what is going on. In the meantime, I would be looking out the windows for signs of other zombies and securing any other exterior doors. If someone (living, breathing person) answered, I would get them to assist in the teacher extraction while the kids were secured. Otherwise, it would be exit out the windows/rear door to the nearest vehicle large enough to house the kids. Of course, I don't know what I would do with a bus load of children. If it was only 1 crazied teacher, I hope the police would not think I was a kidnapper. So this one may not work out in my favor.

Hoping the apocalypse doesn't occur when kids are around,
The wife

PS - I hope this doesn't mean that the kid zombies will do me in....

Scenario Sundays - School

Alrighty, here is our 2nd scenario. let's see what you'd do:

You’re at the local school picking up your child/niece/nephew (or for those of you without kids, pretend you’re there to talk to a class about your awesome career as zombie fighter extraordinary). Suddenly you notice one of the teachers looks awfully pale and an arm is starting to detach from her body (ewww). She lunges right for you. What do you do?

Just a friendly reminder that you are welcome to leave your run down of the scenario in the Comments section.

Look for "school friendly" methods of defense,
The wife

Lasting Supplies

Your sick of it I know. Supplies, supplies, supplies. I mean we talked about the “to go” pack but if you are building an impenetrable fortress to protect yourself against zombies, you will need more than a meager 3 day supply.


When the zombies arrive I can bet they won’t be gone in a few days. I don’t think we will be as lucky as Shaun was in Shaun of the Dead. You’re going to need enough stuff to get you through for months maybe even a year. Of course, anything longer than that and you need to plan on sustainable growth of plants to continue feeding you and your family (assuming you aren't pigging out on tasty brains).


So before you are able to get those seeds growing and the harvest ready, what supplies should you have on hand? What do you need in order to survive for 2 weeks? A month? 6 Months?!


Here's a list I have complied through my research:

• Water
• Canned Veggies
• Canned Meat
• Canned Fruit
• Protein Bars
• Other non-perishables like peanut butter
• Comfort Foods (sorry but I refuse to live without ketchup)
• First aid kit
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• UNSCENTED Bleach & medicine dropper (for water purification)
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container or waterproof matches
• Something to eat out of/with (mess kit, cup, utentsils)
• Battery Powdered or hand crank emergency radio 
• FLASHLIGHTS and extra batteries (or better yet, hand crank flashlight)
• Poncho
• Games/Books/Etc. (something to keep your mind off the doom)
• Tools such as a crowbar, hammer & nails, staple gun, adjustable wrench and bungee cords
• Garbage bags, plastic ties, towelettes, toilet paper and a bucket for sanitation
• Personal hygiene items (may not be a big deal with limited water, plus you'll smell like a zombie. Great way to blend in)
• MAPS
• Can opener
• Pocket knife
• Whistle
• Bat or other large object that can be used for defense
• Special needs items (prescription meds, etc)
• Work Gloves
• Something to cook your food with 
• Clothes (at least some seasonal ones)

Now there are plenty of sites out there with info on emergency supplies. Go out and do a web search. Don't take my list as the end all be all. These were just the items I am stocking. So what do you have saved up?

Wondering if our supplies can be stored in The Husband's side of the closet,

The Wife

Scenario Sundays - The Mall - Follow Up

Last week I posted a scenario for all of you to consider. That post can be found here. Today, I breakdown what goes through my mind for this kind of scenario.



First thing is first. Is it only 1 or 2 zombies or has the rest of the mall succumbed to the infection? You need to assess the severity of the situation. If it’s only a few zombies, you have a greater chance of escape. Whereas half a mall of zombies will make it difficult to get away and then you have to look for locations in the mall that you can hold up in so you can defend yourself.

Malls, in my opinion, have to many locations that are not defendable against zombies. All the glass store fronts, large doorways, multiple entrances, etc. Perhaps if you could get behind the metal gate in a store that is not infused with an infected individual you could be safe (maybe for a short period of time). That’s why I want to get to my car away from the situation if at all possible. So, I would next figure out where exactly my car is in relation to where I am in the Mall? Is it on the same level or a different level? What’s the closest exit to get to my car? Other than escape you have to think about the potential of coming in close contact with a zombie. Do you have something you can use to knock the zombies back? A large bag or purse? Is there a store nearby with something you can borrow (chain saw??).

So, my plan is to (1) get something to defend myself with (if I don't have something on my person), (2) Find the nearest exit and (3) get in my car and get the heck out of there!

Wondering what kind of tool fits well in my purse,
The wife

Friendly Reminder

Do you remember when I posted about the “To Go Pack”? I know its been awhile. But if you put one together, you need to check the expiration date on your goodies. I know this is a late reminder (mine should have been done in July), but better late than never.

So to keep us all with foods and other items that aren’t expired, I will be posting another reminder in Dec. to update your kits. Your To Do list for today:

(1) Check Expiration of all medications, treatment products (ex. Neosporin), foods, drinks
(2) Replace any expired items
(3) Replace any items that will expire within the next 6 months
(4) Check Clothing – Are they appropriate for the upcoming season? Are they still the correct size?
(5) Identify what items you are still lacking?
(6) Rotate your water supply

For those food/drink items that will expire between now and before 6 months is up, you can consider the following:

(1) Donate the item (only if expiration date is still valid)
(2) Feed the item to someone (only if expiration date is still valid)
(3) Eat the item (only if expiration date is still valid)
(4) Throw it out (only if past expiration)

Remember that the food items you pack should be foods that you normally eat. This way when you need to rotate that item out of your “To Go Pack”, you can rotate it back to your pantry instead of wasting it. Plus who wants to be stuck with something they don’t like when they have to evacuate.

Checking expiration dates,
The wife

Don’t forget to store your pack in a convenient location. One that is easily accessible during an emergency but not in the way for your normal everyday life.

Scenario Sundays - The Mall

So I thought I’d start a recurring theme here at Zombie Proofing Your Home. I’m calling it Scenario Sundays. Every few Sundays, I will post a new scenario and ask you questions about how you would handle the situation if you were in it. You are welcome to leave your run down of the scenario in the Comments section. However, any rude, demeaning or otherwise “Troll” like comments will be deleted.

Pretty much the idea behind this is to already have a game plan of actions you would/should take if you found yourself in one of these situations. Its like having a fire escape plan for your family. The likelihood that your home will be hit with fire is not great, but if it were to happen, you have a fire escape plan in place and know what to do (which can be hard to figure out if you are in panic mode). I don’t suggest emulating any of the these scenarios out in the real world. If you start running crazily through the mall or anyplace else, you may find yourself detained by the police. However, I do encourage you to reconsider your surroundings during every day activities. You should be asking yourself, “What’s the closest exit?” “What’s the most direct route out of the parking lot?” Its much easier to survive a disaster if you have a plan in place than just “winging it” when the situation occurs. When you plan you have an idea of what you want/need to do and are less likely to panic. And we all know that panic will be the greatest enemy you have when facing zombies.

Without further a due, here is our first scenario:

(1) You’re at the mall wondering around the main corridor on the First Floor below the food court (centered between any given store). Suddenly you notice some of the other patrons are moving slower and appear to have an appetite for BRAINS. What do you do?

I’ll post my breakdown next Sunday. You’ll be able to see my thoughts on this situation.

Looking for a map of the Mall,
The wife

National Preparedness Month

Did you know that September is National Preparedness month? Yah, me neither. But it is. Its a month that the Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council work together to get people to take simple steps to become prepared for emergencies.

Their philosophy is "Get A Kit. Make A Plan. Be Informed. Get Involved." Kind of sounds like what we are promoting around here too.

Did you know that a Citizen Corps survey in 2009 revealed that only 57% of Americans have supplies set aside for an emergency and only 44% have an emergency plan? If those other 43% don't have supplies how will they survive the zombie apocalypse? More importantly will they be trying to eat my supplies?

Since it is National Preparedness Month, I encourage all of you to take a look at your kit (or start one if you haven't). Make a plan on how to best defend yourself and family against zombies. Stay informed on the current zombie sitings and get involved with preparing your community to withstand the outbreak.

You can check out more info here.

Checking the "To Go Kit",
The wife

The Dream Home - part 2

Remember all those long months ago when I discussed the location for your impenetrable fortress? Well, today, I'd like to talk about what the house itself and things  you should consider.

Fence?

In my mind, I picture a lovely brick home with a gorgeous rod iron fence surrounding the well kept yard. Yah, I know it sounds like something out of one of those home magazines. But in my mind, the fence is a must. It is your first line of defense against zombies. For keeping unwanted visitors away, I always envision a very tall rod iron fence. You know, the kind with 2 vertical rails that are spaced far enough apart that neither would be useful in climbing over the fence. The top of the fence would end in nice, sharp points (perfect for impaling those dumb enough to scale the fence) and the rails would be close enough together that even a small child could not fit through. Of course, this may not be the best fence to use especially if a large mass of zombies were to attack at once.

So what kind of fence would you want? A solid brick or cinderblock wall? Wooden fence? Whatever you choose, make sure the material is low maintenance and will withstand the elements for a LONG time.

Building Materials

I don't know much about building materials. I know what I like and what I don't. I'm thinking of going with a steel frame. I figure those are more fire resistant than 2x4s plus sturdier. The outside should be some sort of stone or brick. No particle board for me. One good rain and zombies rush through the mashed wood and glue mixture. I wonder how workable concrete would be for walls?

Entry Points

Obviously, you must minimize this one. Of course, you don't want to have just one entry point. How would you escape if the zombies broke through? In addition to the number of entry points you really have to think about your entry points. Will it be a door? If so, what kind? Wooden? Glass? Will there be glass insets nearby. In my own head, I hear lots of "nos" to these questions. Personally, I like a strong solid wood door with some sort of storm door in front of it. Maybe one of those with metal bars inlaid? I like the idea of two doors as that provides an extra layer of security.

Don't forget windows too. Those can also be used as entry points. I suggest using something that is good for efficiency and some sort of guard over it. 

How Many levels?

Personally, I like a multi-level home. For zombie fortification, a basement is what I prefer. Something that has an escape route plus plenty of storage for all your food, water, etc.

So what will your fortress be like? What items will you include?

Wondering how to get a set of those metal security doors, 

The wife