The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is a TV series based on the comic of the same name by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore.  Its gonna premiere at October 31, 2010. That's Halloween baby!

I'm gonna let Mrs. Zombie Hunter know that the director of The Shawshank Redemption is doing this.  That oughtta get her to give it some thought.  

I mean, wasn't Shawshank one of the best movies ever created?  That oughtta help her get through the blood, gore, and other things creep her out.  Completely understandable.  

And it could prove to be educational in case TSHTF.

Here's the link to the official trailer...

Survival Strategy # 4: make your own emergency map

Your family needs to be prepared for any disaster.  It could be Super Bird Flu, SARS, Hurricane Katrina the 2nd, a Zombie Outbreak or any similar catastrophe.  Taking time to create an emergency map will be  essential to survival.

Mosey on to Google Maps and take a print screen of your surrounding area.

know your turf

Our objective is to gain an intimate knowledge of your area in case of an emergency.   Use this map to know what to avoid, identify safe zones, and areas to gather resources.

Here's an explanation of my map legend:

• High Risk Resource - Commercial establishments like malls or shops that have supplies (food, tools, medicine, etc.) your family will need to outlast an extended calamity.  Factors such as proximity to Danger Zones, and choke points makes it risky to go here.  Especially if it looks easy for a horde of zombies to overrun.  Go here only as a last resort.  Do not stay in this area no matter how tempting potential loot may be.  Malls are zombie magnets!

• Places to Avoid - Extremely dangerous areas.  These may be choke points where people may congregate and thus attract a large zombie hordes.  Large groups of panicking people may gather here to clog intersections with vehicle and foot traffic to create a deathtrap.  Think of other risky areas and mark them on your map.

• Danger Zone  - This is a very large area that is hazardous due to a combination of reasons such as high population density, lack of natural and man-made barriers such as rivers & hills, subdivision walls, guard houses, etc.  Basically areas where infection and zombie infestation would be hard to avoid and contain. If you need to travel somewhere, plot a route that avoids these areas & bring the appropriate equipment.  

Identifying Danger Zones will also be important in case you need to mount a rescue attempt.

• *Relative Safety and Resistance Areas - Places with lower population density, defensible structures, natural & man-made barriers, ease of travel, and other favorable conditions that would make it less vulnerable to a mass panic or zombie attack. 

• Ideal Resource  - This is located in a much safer area compared to High Risk Resources.  Smaller commercial arcades that are easy to defend against a horde of zombies, have good barriers and a feasible escape route.  They are not found near major thoroughfares or population centers.  A lot of high rise office buildings have canteens and pantries, their fire escape routes are also retractable from the ground.  Neighborhood groceries & convenience stores, small-town pharmacies, sari-sari stores, utility buildings from Meralco, Manila Water, and others are pretty good candidates.

• Possible Safe House or Shelter - In case your present safe house is overrun, train your family to find the safest route to the next safe house.  Avoid areas that would be crowded with disorganized survivors.  Organized groups are good, but always be on your guard! These places should be easy to defend and barricade.  Don't forget your emergency exit.  Safe houses should also be located w/in a reasonable distance to an ideal resource point. 

Nothing is static: Keep in mind that these zones could shift from safe to dangerous after an outbreak.  Try to anticipate how these changes could take place at various stages of an emergency. 

After putting the map together, share ideas with your family.  Talk about recent calamities about how streets became crowded & trapped, what places were looted, etc.  When you're done, print out multiple copies, laminate and distribute to members of your household. Keep 1 or 2 in your bug out bag, but don't share them w/ people you do not trust!

There you have it.  After completing this activity, you'll be glad to know that your loved ones will know what to do.  With that worry out of your head, you can now focus on other important survival activities.

Stay vigilant!

stepping up

Today is DAY ONE for my return to my physical training at a nearby gym.  This supplements my practical shooting, and will help keep up w/ my coach the Major. I gotta get back to my old form.

Past Awesomeness

Nearly a lifetime ago, I was in our high-school's Tae Kwon Do and swimming varsity teams.  For a whole decade, I was in really awesome shape. Looking good in a bikini Speedo was a daily thing.  

Decline

The excesses of college life had nearly erased my exceptional physical condition.  Back in the 1990's, everybody seemed to be partying harder and getting more smashed than folks do nowadays.

Chalk it to Y2K nihilism.  

Another big problem was my brush w/ Gangrene on one of my feet from a botched operation.   Long story.  Funny how the color of my diseased foot reminded me of the living dead.  It left me unable to run or do strenuous exercise for another 4 years.  If the SHTF then, I'd be screwed. 

Getting Back

I've been on and off from the gym and could not get it to stick.  Finally in late 2009, Mrs. Zombie Hunter and I started running & worked our way up to 30 KM/week.  It took a long while to reach 5Km in 30 minutes.  The first months were miserable!  It was like shaking off a decade's worth of laziness, booze, sleeping late w/ bags of Growers Savory Hot Peanuts.  

I've nearly quit booze & have lost a total of 15 pounds after 5 months.  Going back to serious training is a logical progression.  My new PT will improve my stamina & shed another dozen pounds to get into top form.  And thus I have committed myself to doing this & my running for as long as I could stand on my two feet.

You Can Do It Too

Anybody can turn things around with enough motivation and commitment. You'll be rewarded with a way better looking body, improved mood & higher energy levels.  Just give yourself a realistic target and think of it as an investment for yourself. 

And if that ain't enough motivation for you, perhaps the impending Zombie Apocalypse ought to get your lardy ass moving!

With washboard abs, zombies are doomed.  Wife is happier.

Weapons: Handguns

Melee Weapons are good, but firearms are better.

After you have learned the principles of Gun Safety and possess a sound mind & cool temper, you may consider getting yourself a pistol as your first firearm against the living dead.  They are easy to obtain legally and come in a delightful variety to suit your needs.

Revolvers

Armscor M206 .38 Special
the trusty sidekick

Made famous by cowboys and the Lone Ranger, they are renowned for their reliability, easy operation & maintenance. The only down side is that they carry limited ammunition and are slow to reload.

The minimum caliber you should consider is the .38 Special for its proven stopping power against human threats, undead or otherwise.  I recommend the use of JHP or Jacketed Hollow Point ammunition. This type of bullet expands upon entering, allowing it to transfer more of its energy to the target by creating a larger wound cavity.  As a rule, your ammunition should be able to penetrate 12 inches of flesh to reach a vital organ.  For the undead, the brain is the only relevant organ.  Smaller ammo will need more shots, but having a tiny pistol is better than none at all.

Shot placement, caliber, & skill will contribute to stopping power.

Higher caliber revolvers are also good, but you will not be able to conceal or bring them around easily. In pre-SHTF conditions, concealment will be very important because it will be intended to protect you against living & breathing (non zombie) bad guys. 

Semi-Automatic Pistols

 Para-Ordnance P16.40 
thank you Canada

Compared to revolvers, these carry more ammo, are much faster to reload, and have way more choices in model. 

The 9mm caliber is one of the world's most popular ammunition types for personal defense.  This is due to its accepted reputation for stopping power + higher capacity compared to larger ammo types.  Ballistic tests and real-life experience has taught many a patrolman the comparable performance of the 9mm JHP to the much larger .45 caliber.  In my opinion, the main benefit of the 9mm is that you can carry a lot more ammo in your magazines on a reasonably-sized pistol.

*****

I use a Para-Ordnance .40 caliber pistol as my primary weapon. Its magazine can carry up to 17 rounds +1 in the chamber.  I've got 50 rounds of JHP for both pistols and another 400 for practical shooting training.  The revolver I'm using is an M206 from Armscor & serves as a backup weapon.  If I had it my way, I would get a high-capacity 9mm for Mrs. Zombie Hunter so she can defend the home when I'm away.

Remember folks, practice and teach Gun Safety to your loved ones! 

Boy Scouts - these guys have real skills

Like most of us, my parents got me into the Boy Scouts when I was grade 3.  It was mostly fun & games, but I did learn a lot of survival tips from them.  By the time I was grade 6, I was quite the outdoorsman.

As early as 1987 I was already getting prepared in case TSHTF.

I learned these really important skills and could do most of them competently:

• First Aid (learn this first)
• various funny looking knots
• building a makeshift tent
• finding north w/o a compass
• compass & map reading
• International Morse Code (I suck at this, but I've got the cheat sheet)
• how to properly handle a knife
• teamwork & being a good kid
• water collection 
• building a fire
• foraging for food
• fishing (and my granddad taught me how to hunt w/ guns)

If you've forgotten these, quickly get in touch w/ the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and Scout Center Dot Net. I salute these boys & girls. More folks should learn to be like them. 

It would be best to inquire on how to join the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.  The stuff you can learn can help you survive and thrive when the world is thrown into madness when the zombie hordes arrive.  Just don't mention anything about "SHTF preparedness" or else they'll probably call the cops. 

Do it for your family.  Learn a skill today!

Ain't it cute that those little Grade 3 Cub Scouts already know how to handle themselves?  It would be ironic but comforting to see kids teaching their couch potato adults how to set up a proper campsite & hunt for food. 

“Take Nothing but Pictures;
Leave Nothing but Footprints;
Kill Nothing but Zombies.”