Favorite zombie books: I am currently reading The Zombie Survival Guide. Dawn of the Dreadfuls is on deck. I also enjoyed World War Z and FEED. I Am Legend was a good read (I know, they're not zombies, but it's a good book nonetheless...) and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a great book.

Favorite zombie games: I love Urban Dead, a text-based Massively Multi-Player Web-Based Zombie Apocalypse game. My character is Abe Stadenko, if you ever decide to join the battle. I also love Zombie Pandemic. Abe Stadenko is there as well, fighting with the Zombie Squad clan. Awesome game...



Favorite zombie movies: My first zombie movie was Return of the Living Dead. It's more of a humorous horror movie, but the zombies are awesome. Since then I have been fascinated with zombies. I also like Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Zombieland, the Resident Evil movies, and 28 Days Later (to name a few.)

Favorite quote in any zombie movie:

"I... I... I think..... I think things are.... getting out of hand....." -- Return of the Living Dead

"In a world where the dead are returning to life, the word "trouble" loses much of its meaning." -- Land of the Dead



I have only recently given serious thought about survival during ANY kind of disaster, so I'm afraid I have little experience. I first joined ZSDW because of my interest in the zombie culture, and I enjoyed reading the fictional stories. Since I've been here, however, I have learned a lot about the Do's and Don'ts of survival. Hopefully, I can take what I learn and contribute in some way in the event of a disaster. I've put together a plan based on information gathered from articles and posts from the ZSDW pages, as well as other resources. Feel free to critique my plan and point out any major mistakes...

My “handle” should you look for me on the radio waves or web: Jukebox Hero or any variation thereof (Jukebox, Juke)

My location: Midwest (Missouri)

Will I be staying in my home or headed somewhere else? Well, I haven't decided. Being in a small town, my resources are limited if I need to scrounge for survival tools. But a lesser populated area might be good - fewer people = less zombie food. Less zombie food = fewer zombies. REGARDLESS... I will try to bunker down for maybe 5-7 days and wait for the initial panic to die down. While I'm waiting I will try to communicate with others to form a group and formulate a plan of action. Then if need be, journey to safer ground.

If I'm heading out, how do I plan to get there? Probably jack an SUV or school bus, although both tend to tip easily... preferably one with a CB radio (or I'll install one). Once the gas runs out, I guess I'll have to walk.

Got anyone I want to take with me? My wife and kids, obviously. A few friends - preferably ones who possess certain skills such as hunting/fishing, mechanics, and CPR/First Aid. My dogs if they can handle the trip. Anyone from ZSDW if they want to hook up, and anyone who has any knowledge of zombie survival.

How will I communicate with the outside world, or do I plan to go the hermit route? I will definitely want to keep the lines of communication open, we'll just have to see what resources are available. Ideally, cell phones and Internet. But once those options are gone, I guess CB or HAM radios.

How am I planning to get food and water? Gather as much from the tap as I can store until that resource is, well... tapped out (pun intended). Gather rain water as long as the opportunity provides. I have a small stockpile of water, canned food, and some dried food that I rotate regularly. Looting abandoned stores, restaurants, gas stations, and houses, if necessary - but only as a last resort. Maybe hunting wild game, although realistically I may have difficulty there since I've never hunted before.

What’s my weapon of choice? I admit I have no experience with guns. Unless I start some kind of training soon I'll probably have to wait until after the fact to get skilled in that area. Once I do, ideally I'd like to have at least two automatic pistols, maybe a sawed-off shotgun. For me, anything that discharges multiple rounds per second would just mean a waste of bullets - until I get familiar with guns. For melee combat, probably a machete (multi-use weapon) and I have a piece of top rail from chain link fencing that has been filled 1/4 with cement - It is cut to the perfect size (long enough for distance but not so long that it is awkward) and is pretty well balanced.

Got a survival philosophy? If I'm in an organized group: You watch my back, and I'll watch yours. If it's just my family and me: Invisibility is the key to survival, especially in the beginning. We're not only protecting ourselves from zombies, we're protecting ourselves from other survivors who are desperate, panicked, and irrational...

Am I willing to hook up with other survivors? Of course... safety in numbers. Unless of course they prove to be hostile, dangerous, or untrustworthy.

Is my plan based on a book/movie/blog other survivors may have heard of? Uh, definitely not based on a movie. Have you seen the stupid things they do in zombie movies? It does make for good entertainment, but not successful survival.
There is an awesome show on the History Channel called After Armageddon, which breaks down the survival process (they describe what to do in the case of a viral pandemic, but the survival tips are relevant here.) I'll be taking notes on that one...