Unnatural Disaster: Zombie Apocalypse

You never really know what curves life will throw at you, what is lurking around the corner, what is hovering above, what is floating beneath the surface. You never know when you might be called upon to perform an act of extreme bravery and to choose life or death with your own actions—for your own survival.

All zombie research is theoretical. We can never know exactly what the coming pandemic will look like until the teeming undead horde is finally at our doorsteps. Once the dead rise, the days of study and conjecture are over. Gone will be reasoned debate and hard scientific study. Gone will be global lines of communication and easy access to information. Gone will be scientific, social, and historic investigation. What will be left is you (if you are lucky) and your knowledge of zombies and what to do to survive.

Zombie Basics: Definition of a Zombie

Oxford English Dictionary: A corpse said to be revived by witchcraft, especially in certain African and Caribbean religions

Oxford English Dictionary informal: A person who is or appears to be lifeless, apathetic, or completely unresponsive to his or surroundings.

Modern definition- a relentlessly aggressive, reanimate human corpse driven by a biological infection

Zombies are first and foremost defined by their relentless aggression. A zombie has a single-minded focus. It will never stop. It will never surrender. A zombie will move toward its goal at any cost. Zombies occupy the decaying shell of what was once human. So while they may be relentlessly determined, they are far from invincible. Given that their bodies are rotting corpses, they have a limited life span. Modern Zombies are created through biological means, not supernatural or magical. The zombie state is transmitted by an infectious contagion that readily spreads to new hosts.

Zombie Basics: Zombie Film Evolution Modern zombies first appeared in Night of the Living Dead directed by George

A. Romero in 1968. Made on a small budget with borrowed cars and part-time actors, Night of the Living Dead tells the story of a group of strangers trapped in an isolated farmhouse while roaming zombies try to break through their hasty defenses and eat them.

Dawn of the Dead, the sequel shot a decade later, takes place the following morning in a new locale. Zombies are causing chaos, and the government is powerless to help. Society is crumbling, so a group of Philadelphians flee to rural PA. This lands them in a shopping mall outside Pittsburgh. Turns out zombies love the mall. More gore and more human brutality, makes this the most popular of the series. A heroic protagonist survives the dawn along with a woman and they head into an uncertain future.

Zombie Basics: Zombie Film Evolution In Day of the Dead (1985) a female survivor, Sarah, arrives via helicopter with fellow survivors in Fort Myers, Florida. There they find a military-related research team seeking survivors and a cure. Zombies are brought into a military bunker for inhumane “human” testing. Sarah soon finds a group arguing zombies can be trained and can evolve. These two factions collide, resulting in much zombie violence and gore, and Romero leaves his audience with a message about humanity’s lack thereof.

The Romero directed series continued with Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), and Survival of the Dead (2010), but were not as successful as the first three films.

Zombie Basics: Revisionist Zombie Film Evolution Films created in the 2000’s showcase the revisionist Zombie. Some of the zombies are undead and others are humans infected with a virus that creates rage and aggression. All of the zombies have been revamped as fast-and-furious carnage machines Feeding on fear of biological attack from unexpected enemies, they now are “infected persons,” victims of a rabies-like disease that inflames their brain making them animalistic, aggressive, and craving human flesh.

Some of the Revisionist Zombie films are:•28 Days Later (2002) -Directed by Danny Boyle•Resident Evil (2002) -Directed by Paul Anderson•28 Weeks Later (2007) – Directed by Juan Fresnadillo•Quarantine (2008) – Directed by John Dowdle

Zombie Science: BrainTimothy Verstynen, neuroscientist at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition in Pittsburgh, and Bradley Voytek, neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, authored a paper on zombie brain function titled “The Living Dead Brain”. Their paper pioneered the theory of Consciousness Deficit Hypoactivity Disorder in the undead, defined as the loss of rational, voluntary, and conscious behavior, replaced by delusional, impulsive aggression; stimulus-driven attention, and the inability to coordinate motor and linguistic behaviors. In other words, zombies aren’t the most graceful creatures on the planet, but they sure do want to rip your guts out.

Zombie Science: BloodThough it is widely believed that all blood flow in a person infected with the zombie sickness ceases at death, a counter theory might be that the undead brain has a constant hunger for blood in order to continue working properly. A brain without blood flow would very quickly dry out, crack, and become little more than a lump of brittle nothing. Without blood irrigation to the brain, all channels would flatten, and there would be no brain function and no sitting up or walking around. So it makes sense that there is a mechanism for zombie blood flow.

Furthermore, the zombie sickness is generally believed to be spread through the transfer of blood, saliva, or other bodily fluids. You get bitten on sprayed in the mouth and eyes with toxic zombie fluids, and soon enough, you’re weak, confused, and fast on the road to becoming and undead zombie ghoul. Zombie blood must circulate, even without being forcibly pumped by a beating heart, or else it wouldn’t be able to transmit from one body to another. In fact, without circulation, there would be no blood at all.

Zombie Science: DietAsk anyone with even a casual knowledge of zombies what the undead eat, and more often than not, the response will be “Brains!” But despite popular belief, the undead likely don’t prefer your brain to any other part of your living body. In fact, the concept of a zombie craving brains is unique to the Return of the Living Dead film series, a semi-spoof collection of B-movies from the 1980s and early 1990s. The flaw in this premise is revealed through simple physics. The human mouth is both too flat and too weak to penetrate a human skull. Predators have long mouths that protrude outward to allow them to use their full force when biting down on their prey. The human mouth is inset and unable to open wide enough to get a good grip on anything larger than an apple. Some research suggests that zombies may not eat anything at all, but rather, just bite and chew. The act of swallowing is a complex neuromuscular activity that may be too complex of a task for a zombie brain to handle. The bottom line is that it doesn’t really matter if they actually eat or swallow because once you are bit, your aren’t going to be a living human for very long.

There are clear connections between crisis preparedness and response strategies for natural disasters and the measures needed to survive an infestation of the walking dead. The basics are what keep you alive in a zombie outbreak. Lacking very basic survivor material and skills will kill you faster than any undead horde ever could.

Zombie Survival

Zombie Survival: Basic Gear

When the dead walk the earth, who perishes and who stays alive will largely be determined by how well they prepared before disaster struck. Look around you right now. Do you have the ready tools, skills, and mental fortitude to survive over the long term if civilization collapses this instant? If not, you might want to think about making some changes or risk starving to death, dying of exposure, or being bitten and attacked by what used to be your best friend.

A seventy-two hour emergency kit, or bug-out-bag (BOB), is a light and portable kit containing all of the essential items needed to survive for three days. When death comes knocking on your door, your BOB is meant to ensure that you don’t become a casualty in your own home or have to flee empty handed. On May 16, 2011, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued their official zombie outbreak preparedness guidelines, emphasizing the importance of having a well-stocked emergency kit. With the focus on the basics of food, water, and shelter, the CDC lists items that should be included in your BOB: Water (one gallon per person per day)Food (stock up on nonperishable items that you eat regularly)Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)Tools and supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio etc.)Sanitation and hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)Clothing (a change of clothes for each family member)Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, etc.)First aid supplies (although you are a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get) If things go really bad, you may not need your passport of driver’s license anymore. The tent poles of modern civilization, like national border security and traffic laws, may already be out the window. But the CDC list does a good job of covering the basics. Other useful items include water purification tablets, a reliable fire-starter, and weapons just in case.

Zombie Survival: Basic Gear-BOB

Though seventy-two hours of self-sufficiency is thought to be enough in more common catastrophes, a zombie outbreak that results in complete societal collapse will likely rule out the possibility of any rescue within three days, three months, or even three years. A BOB for zombie survival should therefore hold enough reserves for at least a week, buying enough time to scavenge for other resources or to move from one safe place to another. The trick is to strike a balance between your bag’s form and its function. Too much gear packed inside makes it impossible to wear for long periods while accomplishing basic daily tasks. Too little, and your BOB is rendered useless in many situations. What’s more, a bedroom closet full of weapons, water and other essentials does little good when zombies attack you at your work across town or swarm your car stuck in rush-hour traffic. You probably don’t plan to carry a BOB with you at all times in anticipation of the coming plague, but consider having several stashed in various locations just in case. Your BOB is there to help save your life, but it can’t do its job if it’s not within arm’s reach.

Zombie Survival: Basic Gear-Additional Info

Zombie Survival: Basic WeaponsIn a perfect world, your weapons choices would be endless. After the dead rise, you may not have any options at all. With dwindling resources and limited opportunity, your weapon may well be whatever you can scrounge. Almost any object can represent a deadly threat. When there is a strong will to inflict bodily harm and death, there is always a way. The best weapon is preparation; training with a weapon can make that weapon 100 times more effective. A skilled rifle marksman will be much more successful and efficient with a rifle than someone who is picking up a rifle for the first time. Same goes for any weapon or any thing else for that matter. A conditioned runner can run faster longer than someone with no experience running.

Zombie Survival: Basic Weapons-Melee Combat

These weapons are all more effective at a close range. One of the biggest advantages of melee weapons is most don’t require any type of limited ammunition or energy source. The biggest downfall is that the last place you want to be when fighting hordes of zombies is standing right next to them. Use these mainly when faced with only a few zombies at a time. Blunt WeaponsA Blunt weapon is designed to crush or smash what ever it hits. These include sticks, bats, hammers, clubs, the back side of a fire extinguisher, etc. These weapons can be heavy and slow, and without proper training they require a lot of energy to use. Flexible WeaponsFlexible weapons are used to wrap up and control an opponent. These include ropes, chains, cables, hoses, etc. These weapons can be great at controlling and surprising an enemy, but they require a lot of training to master. Edged WeaponsEdged Weapons are used for cutting, chopping, and stabbing the target. These include knives, swords, axes, sharp broken pieces of glass, etc. These weapons are great at slicing off limbs and piercing flesh. Proper training can lead to effectiveness and energy efficiency.

Zombie Survival: Basic Weapons-Pillars of Combat•Never underestimate the zombie

Zombies are not mindless hunters. They are swifter and craftier than one might expect. A lone zombie can burst out of hiding and take a chunk out of you in the blink of an eye.

•Never engage a zombie if you can avoid itEngage the zombie only when you are trapped, and escape is not an option.

•Focus on the task; keep fear out of your headNo one, no matter what their powers of description, can fully prepare you for your

first encounter with a zombie. Their grotesque appearance and smell, along with the inhuman noises they emit, can induce a level of fear and terror that precludes rational response and causes one to freeze. You must not react to the zombie's appearance. Focus instead on delivering a combination of offensive and defensive strikes that will buy you enough time to escape.

•Do not allow the zombie to get a grip on youOnce a zombie wraps you in its powerful grip, your prospects for survival are

minimal. Therefore, your first priority must be deflecting away the zombie's hands.

•Seek medical attention after any encounterAlways have trained medical personnel examine you as soon as possible after any

encounter, even if no wounds are visible. The zombie virus can enter your body through the smallest opening in your skin, be it a scraped knuckle or a nicked elbow.

These weapons are all more effective at a long range. One of the biggest advantages of Range weapons is that they are effective at a distance. The farther away from a zombie you are, the safer you are. The biggest disadvantage is that ranged weapons have a limited ammunition supply.

Cord Weapons Cord weapons use a type of cord or string to project an object. These include slingshots, bows and crossbows, hand bow, giant human sling, etc. There is a wide range in quality of cord type weapons and some can be very effective. A well constructed compound bow can be very successful where as a slingshot does not posses enough zombie stopping power. Larger versions like a water balloon launcher can send explosives into the crowds of moaning zombies.

FirearmsThe modern ranged weapon and probably the best thing to have in zombie combat. Using an explosive power the gun projects an object with remarkable precision and accuracy. These weapons do have complicated parts and need to be continuously cleaned and maintained.

The HandgunThe handgun or pistol is a small compact handheld firearm. The handgun is light, easy to carry, and a good short to mid-range weapon. On the down side it usually has a small ammunition capacity and is not as accurate as the rifle. The handgun is a great secondary weapon to use as a back-up if using other firearms. The RifleThe rifle is a larger, accurate, two handed gun. The rifle is the most dependable and accurate type of firearm. These weapons are good at picking off zombies from a distance and conserving ammo. With proper training this type of gun is probably the most effective weapon in long range zombie combat.

Zombie Survival: Basic Weapons-Ranged

Zombie Apocalypse: Site MapTitle

Intro

Intro

Zombie Basics

Definition

Evolution 1

Evolution 2

Evolution 3

Zombie Science

Brain

Blood

Diet

Zombie Survival

Main Menu

Gear Weapons Shelter (Dead)

Zombie Pop Culture (Dead)

Basic Gear

BOB

Additional Info

Basic Weapons

Melee Combat

Pillars of Combat

Range Weapons

Zombie Apocalypse: ResourcesEverything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zombies – Matt Mogk

World War Z- Max Brooks

George Romero’s Dead Series

Zombie Research Society

Zombie Survival Wiki

Zombie Weapons

Zombie Defense