Swine Flu is the Least of Your Concerns

By this point in time, we all know what to do about swine flu. You know, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer after touching shopping carts and door knobs, cover your coughs and sneezes, blah blah blah. We're prepared for the swine flu. This is about something much more serious, a disaster that is imminent.

I'm talking, of course, about a zombie outbreak. In New York City alone, millions of undead could wander the streets, craving living flesh at any cost. They'll never stop until all are dead. The possible situations creating this disaster are many and varied, from chemical warfare to disease. In an urban area, the results would be catastrophic--millions dead, limited supplies, and few survivors. This leaves survivors greatly outnumbered. Let's start first with the essentials--food, water, and shelter. A safe and suitable haven is the most important.

Shelter

Now, your home, which may have many comforts, is both impractical and vulnerable. Glass windows or doors are easily broken and basement windows are an easy access point. Supplies are limited and if you're in a city, you're already outnumbered. The last thing you'd want to be is confined. That said, you'll also want to avoid open areas where the undead can gather or surround you.

What is a place constructed to be asafe place in the event of a disaster? Well, if you recall your history, you'll know that many schools were constructed or improved upon to serve as fallout shelters during the Cold War. This can protect you from radioactivity (which could be a possibility) and some are even stock-piled with supplies for these sort of disasters. Doors are often heavy and secure, windows often gated. Some even have yards for children to play which can serve as a bulwark--one less side to watch. Many public schools in the NewYork City area have trailers that serve as extra classrooms. These are often locked, with sturdy metal doors. These can be used for storage. The school itself is filled with desks, bathrooms, and plenty of space. Rooms are often large and have plenty of space for a small community. A school will most likely be your best bet--if an outbreak occurs during the school year, you may be in luck. This is the best-case scenario.

Apartment or office buildings can possibly serve as a secure place as well. The lower floors may have windows and easily-penetrated doors, but barricading them and closing off the first few flights of stairs with debris or other objects can serve as extra protection. The extra space in the many rooms or areas can be well-utilized for various reasons. The worst-case scenario, one I would not advise, is remaining in your own home or someone else's unless it is absolutely secure.

Food and Water

Now that you have a habitat, the next order of business will be food and water. Running water may not always last, and the fact that it could potentially spread infection is a scary idea. Hopefully, you have access to a supermarket. Grab a shopping cart with as large of a group as possible and head on in. For traveling, do so only in daylight and with plenty of visibility and a decent-sized group. Upon entering the supermarket, you'll have decisions to make. Perishables like bread, milk, and eggs might be helpful, but are ultimately useless for the long run. Head, instead, for canned goods, such as vegetables, milk, etc. You may have to fight for bottled water, but take as much as you can get with no regards as to brand. Remember, you care about surviving, not surviving comfortably.

Crackers might be a good substitute for bread, powdered milk easily used with water. Seeds are also a good idea as they can be utilized for farming if the opportunity arises. Canned goods and bottled water are your primary objectives here. Anything else is an extra. Cereal bars, nuts, beef jerky, and fruit snacks are all good extras--they have nutritional value and usually last a year or so. You'll also want to stock up on vitamins and supplements, as your diet will be all over the place in the ensuing months--the last thing you need is a deficiency. You'll also want to pick up medical supplies and plenty of disinfectant. Soap is a good thing, but the fact is that you'll be making do with limited water makes Purell or another hand sanitizer that doesn't need water a much more viable option.

Weapons

The most cliché of all--weapons. The best advice I can give is run. If you find yourself in close quarters with an undead or are forced to defend your shelter however, hand-to-hand combat is not the way you'll want to approach this, especially as undead tend to group together. A knife, though cliché, is also a horrible weapon, as it requires that you be without a small distance to use it. Guns, while effective, can be rare, and ammunition hard to find. Also, if you're inexperienced, you're going to need time to learn how to use and maintain a weapon. If you have never used a firearm before, chances are you're going to waste a lot of ammo missing. There's little time for learning. If you do have a choice of weapons a 9mm weapon will be your best option, as these are probably the most common of all firearms.

Many people would hurry to the hardware store for weaponry--many of these are poor choices as well. A sledgehammer, while carrying the bad-ass label, is messy and, if we assume infection can be spread through contact withbodily fluids, you're in trouble. The same can go with a chainsaw. While effective, the mess is considerable andyou're also limited on gasoline. The reaction time is also limited as you can only fight off so many undead at one time. If you're in a hardware store, your best option would be something moderately light, but is also capable of doing damage. Gardening tools with a decent-sized handle might be a good choice, especially if you can get a hoe with sharpened points.

I would head, instead, towards the sporting goods store. A decent metal baseball bat carries a decent range, considerable damage, and strong durability. Golf clubs are also a considerable weapon. Finally, certain sports gear can be used as a sort of "armor" if you will.

Government and Group Survival

Assuming you've survived long enough t osecure all of the necessities, you'll most likely end up grouping up with other survivors. It's important to be cordial and polite, especially since you really can't afford to piss anyone off.

Now, you have a community, but you need someone to make decisions. Ah, government! While the idea of being a dictator may be appealing, the fact is that it's just not practical. It's faced severe opposition in an uninfected world and so I doubt it'll work in an undead one. A plutocracy, that is, rule by the wealthy class, will only breed dissent and revolution--not an appealing idea. A theocracy, due to religious differenceswill be much the same. Anarchy will not work, as doing whatever you want is a danger to the entire group an endangers longetivity. An oligarchy, rule by a small group, may leave some feeling jilted. There needsto be regulation and equality. The fact is, under close examination, the government that might serve the best is a constitutional republic.

In this form of government, the people elect leaders to represent them. This group of representatives can then decide what is best for the group, but also with input from said group. This ensures equality for all, and allows for a group decision, that is, appealing to the largest percentage possible.

Other

Eventually, food and water are going to become a very real problem. While youmay be able to hold out in your shelter for a year or two, food will eventually reach their expiration dates and things will begin to disappear. At this point, you'll have to either organize a farming community or move on entirely. An area with farming possibilities is a good idea, however, such an area may not be well-protected. Analyze a situation such as this with extreme care.

When dealing with other groups, utilize a fair barter system, as money is at this point useless. Also, remember to be cordial and polite, speak of possible alliances or combining your groups. All of you, after all, have the same goal--stay alive.

I wish you all the luck in surviving a zombie apocalypse! Best wishes!