Chapter 5: Hideouts

 

In this Chapter Sargeant Bob aka (monwobobbo) from the ZE.R.O. team U.S. Division will provide you

with valuable input to consider your hideout during the apocalypse so pay attention.

The zombies are out there and you need a safe place to hang your gun belt. while an underground bunker would be the best they usually aren't available to the average person. so what to look for that is available to most if not all. The key to a good hideout is defensibility. When sizing up a potential place this will be the first order of business.
The less ground level ways to get into a structure the better it will be to keep out unwanted zombie (or human) neighbors. so what is the ideal place believe it or not an above garage apt is one of if not the best place to be in an urban area. They usually only have one entrance which is narrow and can be easily blocked to cut off access. they usually have running water and seperate heating and cooling and are small enough to be run off a generator. The garage below once properly fortified can provide storage and of course a place to keep=
your zombie proofed vehicle if you so desire.

 

If you already have a home and want to stay put, well thats doable as well. If you have a porch that is off the ground remove the front steps. Zombies aren't the most coordinated bunch so climbing up even a few feet slows them down. If at all possible board up windows and doors (if needed) from the outside, zombies aren't to bright and aren't likely to pull off boards but they will push in on them making things nailed from the inside more vunerable.
Now this is important so pay close attention. MOVE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO THE SECOND FLOOR. a narrow stairwell is much easier to defend or block off than the whole downstairs of a house, be sure to have a ladder or rope available for getting to ground level. If you don't have water upstairs then try running a gardenhose up through a window and just leave it on if you need to (no ones going to send you a bill). always have an escape route planned in case things go totally to shit.

 

If you are in a rural location then i highly recommend finding a barn that is fairly new. barns usually have hay lofts and such to give you a second floor location. barns usually have limited access for easy fortification.
For farmhouses see above for info.

If you are in a large group of people (not really recommended) then a warehouse is an ideal place to set up shop. warehouses like barns have limited access and set up sleeping areas in the racks off the ground. other buildings can work as long as they are defencible (1st rule of finding a place) if they are in a fenced off area that is the best (fencing is great for anylocation and is preferable). while skyscrapers and other tall office buildings seem ideal at first they can be a death trap instead. if the power is still on then great but as soon as the power goes off they become very darkand hard to navigate. Most buidings keep the stairwell access doors lockedwhich also can present a big problem, you would also have a large area to sweep for stray zombies which is somehting you want to avoid.

Happy sanctuary hunting.

Sargeant Bob.

Z.E.R.O. 32ND UNIT

U.S. DIVISION

Thank you very much Bob for those valuable suggestions at the time of searching for your hideout. Open your eyes to your sourroundings today!!

I will like to add a couple considerations:

The Ultimate Hideout

According to Max Brooks, the Ultimate hideout oughta be oil drilling platformsand he is absolutely right, but... good luck finding one near you, you might need a good boat and taking several supplies up there. If you are in a group and luckily you found and know how to fly a chopper, well, you know where to head out!

 

AVOID AT ALL COST

There is one place you should avoid visiting and worst picking as your hideout at all cost. An Hospital!

Why? well if you need someone to explain you why then probably you are not paying attention and you should go back to chapter 1 and start all over again.

Lt. Sanka