DEFENDING YOUR HOME

For Class 1 conflicts, most people's homes will provide adequate shelter.
There is no need to flee the city or town as soon as you hear that
the dead are walking. In fact, this is highly discouraged. In the first
hours of a zombie attack, most of the population will try desperately
to escape. Roads will become a mass of stationary vehicles and panicked
people, a situdlior~ that is rife with the potential for violence.
Until the living destroy the dead, or the dead overrun the living, trying
to flee would only add more bodies to the anarchy. So load your
weapons, prepare for a fight, but stay put, stay safe, stay alert. And
what better place to do so than in the comfort of your own home?

1. PREPARATION PART I: THE HOME
Before the dead rise, before the chaos and carnage begin, certain
homeowners will find that they are safer than their neighbors.
Although no house was ever constructed for the purpose of zombie
defense, several designs have proved remarkably secure. If your house
itself is not structurally ready for a zombie attack, various measures
can be employed to fortify it.

A. Exceptions
Stilted homes, as seen on beaches and along rivers and other high
watermark areas, were built mainly to avoid being overrnn by floods.
Their height already makes conventional attacks impossible. Doors
and windows could even remain open and unboarded. The only
entrance and one or two outside staircases could either he barricaded
or destroyed once the alarm is sounded. Secure on this raised platform,
survival time would he determined only by the amount of provisions a
homeowner had stockpiled.
There is another highly protective dwelling that was built to combat
a force just as prevalent, and just as deadly, as an undead army:
Tomado-proof "safe houses," now being constructed in the American
heartland, are designed to resist mild to moderate twisters. Their layout
consists of concrete walls, steel-reinforced doors, and steel shutters
neatly concealed behind everyday curtains. On their own, these
domiciles could withstand both a Class 1 and Class 2 outbreak.

B. Modifications to Houses
Securing a house against the undead is similar to securing it from the
living. One difference is the common burglar alarm. Many of us sleep
securely at night only because our alarms are "armed" and working.
But what do these devices really do, other than send a signal to a private
securit-v or volice force? What if these forces don't come? What A
if they are occupied with other battles? What if they are ordered to protect
areas deemed "more important"? What if they have ceased to exist,
disappeared into the stomachs of ghouls? In any of these cases, direct
means of defense are called for.
Security bars on doors and
windows will stop a group of zombies
for a limited amount of time.
Experience has shown that as few
as three walking dead can tear
them down in less than twentyfour
hours.
Tempered safety glass prevents
entry by smashing but can be
forced right out of its pane. This
can easily he fixed by installing
concrete or steel frames. However,
the money it would take to replace
each window in an average house
could and should be spent instead on purchasing or building one of the
two house types discussed above: stilted or tomado-proof domiciles.
A good ten-foot chain-link fence can hold dozens of zombies for
weeks, even months, provided their numbers remain at Class 1. A tenfoot
cinder-block wall, reinforced with steel rods and filled with concrete,
is the safest harrier in both Class 1 and Class 2 outbreaks. Zoning
laws may prohibit a wall this high, but don't dismiss it. (Check with
your local zoning hoard.) Although zombies have been known (on rare
occasions) to hoist themselves over obstacles as high as six feet, this
has never occurred en masse. Several people, well-armed and with
good communication, can maintain a six-foot wall, not easily but
safely, for as long as the stamina of this group holds out.
A gate should be steel or wrought-iron, solid if possible. It should
slide to one side, not swing in or out. Reinforcement is as simple as
parking your car up against it. Electric motors make opening easier but
will leave you trapped in a power outage or breakdown.
As stated earlier, a ten-foot concrete wall will only provide adequate
protection in a Class 1 or Class 2 outbreak. In a Class 3 outbreak,
enough zombies can, and will, climb on top of each other until they
form an undead ramp right over your wall.

C. Apartments
Apartments and apartment buildings vsuy in size and layout and, therefore,
in defensibility. However, from the squat two-stow buildings of
Los Angeles to the concrete and glass towers of New York, certain
basic rules apply.
First-floor apartments present the highest risk simply because of
their accessibility. Tenants living above the ground floor are almost
always safer than those in any type of house. Destroying the staircase
effectively isolates the rest of the building. With the elevator turned off
and the fire escape too high for a zombie to reach (strict limits are
imposed by law), any apartment house can become an instant haven
from the walking dead.
Another advantage of the apattment complex is its large population.
Whereas a private homeowner may be forced to hold the residence by
himself, an apartment building can be defended by all of its tenants.
This also increases the chances of having multiple skilled experts such
as carpenters, electricians, paramedics, and Army reservists (not
always the case, but still a possibility). Of course, with additional people
comes the challenge of additional social conflicts. This potential
problem, however, should never be a deterrent when choosing between
a house and an apartment. Given the choice, always pick the latter.

IMPORTANT NOTE: DISCOUNT HOME-DEFENSE MANUALS!
Although almost every other section in this book encourages the use
of conventional texts (on weapons use. military tactics. survivalskills.
and so on). those written to protect a domicile are not recommended.
Home-defense books are designed to counter a human adversary
with human skills and human intelligence. Many of the tactics and
strategies featured in these books, such as employing elaborate
alarm systems. booby traps, and painful, but nonlethal devices such
as Mace canisters or nail heads in the carpet, would be useless
against an undead intruder.

2. PREPARATION PART 11: SUPPLIES
Once the private residence is secure, stockpiling for a siege must be
undertaken. There is no telling how long it will take for help to arrive.
There is no telling if help ever will. Always be prepared for a long
siege. Never assume a quick rescue.

A. Weapons
Whereas in the field you must travel light to maintain mobility, in your
home you have the luxury of storing and maintaining a plethora of
weapons. This does not mean filling your home with any capricious
instrument of destruction. Each home arsenal should include:
Rifle, 500 rounds
Shotgun, twelve-gauge, 250 shells
Pistol, .45 caliber, 250 rounds
Silencer (rifle)
Silencer (pistol)
Heavy crossbow (in lieu of silencers), 150 bolts
Telescopic sight (rifle)
Night-vision scope (rifle)
Laser sight (rifle)
Laser sight (pistol)
Katana sword
Wakizashi or other short-bladed sword
Two knives with smooth, six- to eight-inch blades
Hand hatchet
(NOTE: This list applies to a single individual. Numbers should be
adjusted depending on the number of people in the group.)

B. Equipment
Now that all weapons have been chosen, consider what equipment is
necessary for your maintenance and perhaps even survival. In the short
run, standard disaster-survival kits will suffice. Any longer, and the
material below will be necessary. Common household items such as
clothing, toilet paper, etc., are assumed to be kept on hand in reasonable
quantities
Water, three quarts per day, for cooking and washing
Hand-pumped water filter
Four replacement filters
Cistern for collecting rainwater
Iodine and/or purification tablets . Canned food, three cans per day (preferable to dried goods in that
they contain some water)
Two portable electric stoves
Advanced medical kit (must include field-surgery implements and
antibiotics)
Bicyclepowered electric generator
Gasoline generator (to be used only in emergencies)
Twenty gallons of gasoline
Rechargeable, battery-powered shortwave radio
Two battery-powered flashlights
Two rechargeable, battery-powered electric lamps
Two rechargeable, battery-powered andlor solar-powered radios
Appropriate reinforcement materials, including lumber, bricks,
. mortar, etc. Extensive tool kit, including sledgehammer, ax, handsaw, etc.
Lime and/or bleaching powder in sufficient supply to maintain
latrine
One high-powered telescope (80X-100X), with spare lenses and
cleaning equipment
Fifteen emergency flares . Thirty-five chemical light sticks
Five fire extinguishers
Two sets of earplugs
Spare parts for all aforementioned machinery and user's manuals . Extensive library of manuals, including a general disaster manual

(NOTE: As with weapons, personal items such as food, water, and
medicine must be multiplied for the number of people in your group.)

3. SURVIVING AN ATTACK
The siege has commenced. Zombies swarm around your home, incessantly
attacking but unable to enter. At this point, your wonies are far
from over. Waiting out a siege does not mean sitting idle. Many tasks
will have to be accomplished and repeated for survival in a confined
space.

A. Designate one comer of your backyard to serve as a latrine. Most
survival manuals will explain the finer points of construction and
disposal.

B. If soil and rain permits, dig a vegetable garden. This ready source
of food should be consumed first, saving the canned food for an
emergency. Keep it as far away from the latrines as possible, to!
avoid infection not by waste but by the residual effects that lime or
bleach will have on the soil.

C. For electricity, always resort to the manual (bicycle-powered) generator.
Not only is the gasoline model loud and potentially dangerous-
its fuel is finite. Use it only in extreme circumstances, such
as a night attack, when manual power is unfeasible or impossible
to generate.

D. Patrol the wall constantly. If you're in a group, nm patrols on a
twenty-four-hour basis. Always be vigilant for an unlikely but possible
infiltration. If you are alone, limit your patrols to daylight
hours. At night, make sure all doors are secure (windows should
already be barred). Sleep with a flashlight and weapon nearby.
I Sleep lightly.

E. Maintain a low profile. If you have a basement, do your cooking
there, along with power generation and any equipment maintenance.
When you monitor the radio, something that should be done
every day, use headphones. Keep blackout curtains on all windows, I
I especially at night.

F. Dispose of all bodies. Be it zombie or human, a corpse is still a
corpse. The bacteria in rotting flesh can be a serious health hazard.
All bodies within your perimeter should be burned or buried. All
bodies outside of your wall should be burned. To do this, simply
stand on a ladder on your side of the wall, pour gasoline on the
freshly slain ghoul, light a match and let it fall. Although this may
attract more undead to your dwelling, it is a necessary risk to
remove an already-present hazard.

G. Exercise daily. Use of the stationary bicycle, along with basic calisthenics
and dynamic tension, will keep your body fit and strong
enough for any combat situation. Again, make sure your regimen
is quiet. If a basement is not available, use a room in the center of
the house. Basic soundproofing such as mattresses and blankets
against the walls will help to muffle any sounds.

H. Remain entertained. Despite the need for vigilance, recreation is a
must. Make sure a large cache of books, games, and other forms of
amusement are available (electronic games are too noisy and
energy-inefficient to be considered). In a long and seemingly interminable
siege, boredom can lead to paranoia, delusion, and hopelessness.
It is as important to keep your mind in good shape as it is
your body.

I. Keep your earplugs handy, and use them often. The constant, collective
moan of the undead, a sound that will persist at all hours for
as long as the siege continues, can be a deadly form of psychological
warfare. People with well-protected, well-supplied homes have
been known to either kill one another or go insane simply from the
incessant moan.

J. Make sure your escape route is planned and your gear ready to go.
In the uncertainty of battle, it may be necessary to abandon your
home. Perhaps the wall has been breached, perhaps a fire has
started, perhaps rescue has amved hut is not close enough. For
whatever reason, it's time to go. Keep your survival pack and
weapon in a readily accessible area, packed, loaded, and ready for
action.

4. IMMEDIATE DEFENSE
The dead have risen. You smell the smoke, hear the sirens. Screams
and shots fill the air. You have been unable or unwilling to properly
ax Brooks
prepare your home-what now? Although the situation looks grim, it
by no means signals your demise. If you take the right actions at the
right time, you can save yourself and your family from joining the
ranks of the undead.

A. Strategies for Two-Story Homes

1. Lock all your doors and windows. Although a a pane of glass may not stop a zombie, the sound '* .*
of its shattering will he the best warning you
can get.

2. Run upstairs and turn on the bathtub. Although
this sounds foolish, there is no way of knowing
when the water will be cut. After a few
days, thirst will become your greatest enemy.

3. Find the best weapons possible. They should
be light and, if possible, attachable to your body so you will have
the full use of your hands. Those will be busy for the next hour.

4. Begin stockpiling the second story.
 Most households have at least SO percent of the items
listed. Do a quick inventory to see what you have. Don't take everything,
just the bare essentials: one or two weapons, some food (you
already have a bathtub full of water), a flashlight, and a batterypowered
radio. And since most families keep their medical chests
upstairs, yon won't need anything more. Remember: Time could be
short, so don't spend it all gathering supplies when the most important
job is still ahead.

5. Demolish the staircase! As zombies are unable to climb, this
method guarantees your safety. Many have argued that an easier
solution would be to board up all the windows and doors. This
method is self-defeating because it would take only a few zombies
to break through any homemade barricade. No doubt destroying
your staircase will take time and energy, but it must be done. Your
life depends on it. Do not, under any circumstances, try to burn your
stairs away with the hope of controlling the fire. Several people
have attempted to save time in this way; their efforts have ended in
either death by fue or the total destruction of their home.

6. If you have a ladder, use it to continue to stock your upstairs refuge.
If not, catalog what you do have, fill all sinks and other receptacles
with water, and prepare for a long wait.

7. Stay out of sight. If you listen to the radio, do it at a minimum volume.
When the skies darken, do not turn on the lights. Do not go near
the windows. Try to make it seem as if the house has been abandoned.
This may not stop a random zombie intrusion, hut it will help to discourage
a mass congregation from descending upon your home.

8. Do not use the phone. As in all disasters, the lines will probably be
tied up. One more call only contributes to clogging the system.
Keep the ringer on the lowest setting. If a call does come through,
by all means answer it, but do so quietly.
9. Plan an alternate escape. You may be safe from zombies hut not
from fire. If a gas line bursts, or some fool down the street goes
crazy with a Molotov, yon may have to abandon your home. Find a
hag or other means of carrying essentials  and keep it at the ready.

B. Strategies for Single-Story Homes
If you do not live in a two-story house, the attic will he a less comfortable
hut equally secure substitute. Most can he secured by simple
raising the retractable staircase or removing the temporary ladder.
Zombies lack the cognitive ability to build a ladder of their own. If you
stay quiet, they will not even know that an attic exists.
Never use a basement as a shelter. Popular horror flicks have shown
that, in a crunch, this subterranean chamber can protect the living from
the dead. This is a dangerous fallacy. Burning, suffocating, or simply
starving to death in basements have claimed hundreds of lives over the
years.

If you find yourself in a one-story home with no attic, grab whatever
supplies you can, take hold of a weapon, and climb onto the roof.
If the ladder is kicked away, and there is no direct access (a window or
trapdoor), the undead will not be able to reach you. Keep still and keep
silent to avoid attracting the undead. Zombies in the area will break
into the house below you, search it for prey, then wander off. Remain
on the roof for as long as you can, until supplies are exhausted or a rescue
patrol arrives. It may not be comfortable, but it is your best chance
for survival. Eventually, it will become inevitable to abandon this
refuge.