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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
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| Feb 28 2010, 12:08 AM EST | richboy33lb | 106 words added, 3 words deleted |
| Feb 10 2010, 4:40 AM EST | Nexumbra |
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As a gerneral rule: If there are convicts in, stay out. Do not risk being kidnapped by convicts. A single convict, with skills in improvised weapons and how to survive on as little as possible, is as dangerous as 20 zombies.
LOCKDOWN: Prisons as a “Bug Out Location”
LOCKDOWN: Prisons as a “Bug Out Location”
OLD VERSUS NEW
Generally, the older the prison, the more reliant it will be on “static security features” such as walls, bars, and gates and the more suited it will be to serve as a protective fortress. However, do not go overboard on old. If it is falling apart (Alcatraz), do not go there. Modern prisons, even the “supermax” types, tend to rely heavily on electronic surveillance and other forms of “dynamic security”. Many of these will likely either be non-operational (such as cameras) or serve no deterrent value to a zombie (such as motion detectors). One major aspect of this phenomena is the outer perimeter. Older prisons utilized high stone walls and towers to keep prisoners in. Newer prisons tend to rely on a double chain-link fence with razor wire and electronic detection devices, with some possibly isolated towers. One concern that can be put to rest is in regards to these modern electronic doors and gates’ failure in the event of a power outage. These systems are designed to remain in the condition they were in at the time of the power failure and all have mechanical over-rides. However, these over-rides can be difficult and inconvenient. Which is why a good old fashion steel gate with a Folger Adams lock and key wins the day when you can’t rely on the power grid. If you have a choice, choose an older “fortress style” prison over a newer “campus style” prison. CONTROL AND ABANDONMENT
One of the common concerns expressed in regards to prisons as BoLs is regarding the likelihood that the inmates will be in control of the facility or that the prison will be over-run by the undead. However, neither of these scenarios is likely. As soon as the operational routine is effected (which would be relatively early in a protracted infection scenario), the prison will go into a lockdown state. Inmates will be confined to their cells, except for small groups let out to shower, clean their cells, or exercise. Those inmates that are out will be supervised. Static security features such as gates and barriers will be secured. Staff will be on a heightened state of alert. As the crisis deepens, the officer in charge of the institutional head may authorize additional staff and or weapons to be deployed to critical areas. The reason that most prison riots occur and result in areas of the prison being lost to the inmates is generally due to being spontaneous or very well planned in order to catch the staff by surprise. Even when these have occurred, they havevery, yetvery torarely involve the loss of an entire prison. The only 2 examples I know of are the Alcatraz riot and Attica. Typically, the response is to negotiate as long as necessary in order to protect human life. This is unlikely to occur in a zombie apocalypse scenario, especially if martial law has been declared. The abandonment scenario likewise makes little sense if one considers human nature as well as contingency planning. Once it becomes apparent that the operational routine is going to be effected by staff attendance, an emergency will be declared and staff on site will be ordered to remain. While nobody is going to physically force staff to remain on site, it will certainly provide some incentive to stick around. In addition, the institutional call back procedure will be activated and all essential personnel will be called to report. Again, not everyone will respond, but some will. The most important detail will be when the institutional head comes to the realization that staff will not attend / stay unless provisions are made for their families. Once the authorization for family members to attend the prison is made, you can expect the majority of staff who can make it to the prison will do so. This is because they will understand the value and potential of the prison in a time of crisis. The fact is, even in the most horrific of circumstances, you can expect that there will at least be a skeleton staff of people who had no better option but to remain. INFECTION SCENARIOS
Nearly all factors related to the suitability of a prison as a BoL will be heavily dependent upon the nature of the infection scenario. A slower spread involving a direct-contact (e.g. bite/ exposure to bodily fluids) infection mode where the nature of the crisis is evident early on will maximize all beneficial factors by allowing preparation of the facility, hoarding of supplies, personnel contingencies, and minimal chance of infection penetrating the facility. This would be akin to a “World War Z” by Max Brooks scenario. The opposite would be a near instantaneous incident whereby the infection is airborne or is otherwise pervasive. This would allow for minimal preparation and staff recall as well as create the possibility of the infection being inside the facility. This is a “Dawn of the Dead” by George A. Romero type scenario. It is important to note, however, that even in the latter scenario type, a prison presents a large number of advantages over other BoLs in the same circumstances. In a slow scenario, even before the true nature of the crisis is known, the prison will begin stockpiling staples such as food, fuel, and medical supplies. This is standard protocol for any type of pandemic planning. A six week supply would be a typical starting point and it would be raised if the situation permitted. There would be ample time to enact lockdown procedures. The management team would come to realize that a contingency for allowing family members would likely be necessary to retain the necessary number of staff to weather the situation. As the nature of the crisis became more evident, you could expect more extreme measures such as attempting to attain additional weapons / ammunition / specialty supplies, make long-term arrangements for conversion of the prison into a self-sufficient community, reinforce defences and the like. With a triage screening process as well as quarantine protocol, the chances of the infection getting inside would be minimal. In a fast scenario, you would likely be dependent on what supplies were in place at the time. While not ideal, these will still be considerable. There may be some initial trouble spots within the prison involving either non-cooperative or infected prisoners or even staff, but the internal static security features would help mitigates this. It may be difficult for additional staff to get to the prison, but staff that are there are unlikely to leave and any staff who are able are extremely likely to head to the prison. One small advantage is that there would be no wait for family contingencies and it is likely that any person seeking refuge would be admitted. PHYSICAL STRUCTURE AND FACILITIES
While individual prisons may differ, the vast majority are going to offer all or most of the following features. It is certainly advisable that you attempt to learn as much as possible about your intended BoL. However, if the facility is a medium security prison / penitentiary, you can expect the following. Defined Perimeter
Ideally this will consist of a tall stone wall, towers, a “sallyport” for vehicles and control gate for personnel. These will form a very formidable defence against the undead and/or any survivors bent on harm. While double chain link fences are not as failsafe as stone walls, they can certainly stand up to considerable force.
Secured Buildings
All buildings that are part of the prison, be they cellblock or administrative or industrial will be solidly constructed and have bars on the windows and reinforced security doors. Passage between buildings may be through secure walkways or even underground tunnels. This includes building outside the defined perimeter.
Cell Blocks
Inmates will be housed on blocks of cells. Cell design and size may vary but you can expect each to include a bed or bunk, toilet, sink, desk, shelving unit, and light. They may or may not have windows. They may have open bars at the front (especially in older prisons), or be solid with a steel door. The cells will be arranged in rows and may be in one or more tiers (cells atop one another). The cell blocks will also include control points where correctional officers monitor movement. Higher security facilities may include gun cages of catwalks.
Administration Building
Individual departments and other details may vary, but there will be at least one area where the management and administrative staff work. This will typically consist of a large number of offices. It can include a number of speciality areas such as the Visiting Area, Radio Room, Informatics and the like.
Food Services
There will be a large and well-equipped kitchen capable of feeding the entire population easily. This will include specialty areas such as a butcher shop and bakery. There will be large food storage areas. It may include a large mess hall.
Education Centre
There will be a school with a number of classrooms and possibly specialty areas such as a computer lab. There will also be a large library. This will include books you would expect to see at your local library as well as possibly extensive law and vocational sections.
Programs Area
While this may be incorporated into the Education Centre, there will likely be an area with additional classrooms, offices, and meeting rooms for cognitive based and/or social programs.
Recreation Area
There will be a gymnasium as well as a weight pit. The gym will have typical sports equipment and may include showers and storage areas. The weight pit will likely be extensive and well equipped.
Exercise Yard
There will be a large outdoor area within the perimeter which will be overlooked by security positions such as towers. There may be sports fields, baseball diamonds, hockey rinks, or other facilities present.
Maintenance Facilities
Prisons typically make use of “in house labour” extensively, consisting of ship instructors and inmate “apprentices” or workers. Expect to typically see a plumber, electrician, carpenter, mason, painter, and metalworker area. These will have extensive tools, manuals, as well as raw materials necessary to facilitate typical repairs and maintenance. There will also likely be back up / replacement parts for critical items. There is likely to be a garage to maintain the institutional fleet. There may also be specialty areas such as vocational shops including things like tailoring, cabinetry, small engine repair, welding, and the like.
Spiritual Area
There will be at least one chapel. These may include offices and meeting rooms as well. There may be additional facilities such as a spiritual lodge. This could include supplies of traditional medicines and other items.
Medical Area
There will be a well-equipped medical facility. This will likely include an emergency operating room, a pharmacy, x-ray facility, dental office, and examination room(s). There may also be isolation cells and other facilities. The psychiatric area may be part of this or separate, but will include a number of offices.
Institutional Services Area
There will be an area where inmate clothing, and institutional issue (mattresses, bedrolls, and the like) as well as hygiene and cleaning products are stored and issued to inmates.
Private Family Visits
Typically considered the “conjugal visits” area, there will be a number of units which will approximate small apartments or residential trailers. There will be one or more bedrooms, a living area, kitchen, and bathroom.
Storage Facility
There will likely be a warehouse type building where things such as spare furniture, dry goods, and equipment is stored. This will likely include a deliveries area. This may be locate outside the perimeter.
Armoury
There will be a heavy security area where weapons and ammunition are stored. This will typically include firearms, chemical agents and inflammatory sprays, impact weapons and less lethal weapons. It may include specialty weapons such as sniper rifles, flash bangs, or others. Body armour and riot equipment may also be stored here.
Command Post
There will be one or more areas where correctional officers monitor radio communications, cameras, alarms, and the like. This will be a high security area.
Institutional Fleet
The prison will likely have a large number of vehicles. This will include prisoner escort vehicles, mobile patrols, delivery vehicles and the like. It will likely also include specialty vehicles such as snow-clearing equipment, garbage trucks, cherry-pickers, forklifts and the like. There will likely be a fuel depot, but this may be located outside the perimeter.
Utilities Plant
Most prisons will have an alternate energy source to the existing power grid. This could include a coal plant, diesel generator, or something else. The facility may be steam heated or even geothermal. There will also be an independent water source and likely sewage infrastructure. Some or all of these facilities may be located outside the perimeter.
Agricultural Component
Some, though not all, prisons may include agricultural components in order to alleviate the costs of feeding the population as well as provide vocational training opportunities. Although these are less likely in a medium security prison, you may find a “minimum security farm annex” or something similar outside the perimeter. These can include cattle, poultry, and swine operations (including possibly abattoirs). There may be a dairy. There will likely be cereal crops. Of course all of the facilities, equipment, and supplies necessary to run these operations will also be present.
Summary
One of the major reason that prisons make such ideal BoLs is that they are purposely designed to be high security self sufficient communities. While they do typically rely on outside resources, they are well-prepared to be cut-off from external resources. You would be hard-pressed to identify any other location with access to as many important facilities and resources on top of fortress level security.
COMMUNITY VERSUS LONE WOLF
The vast majority of Bug Out Locations identified by most people are only designed for short term. Taking off to a remote cabin in the woods with a couple of friends and family may provide for a brief respite. However, it lacks long term viability on both a micro and a macro level. First of all, you will be hard-pressed to survive there for more than a few months after your supplies run out and building up a significant defence from the undead will require extensive labour and resources. In the end, you have virtually none of the tools necessary to re-establish civilization once the crisis passes. While the “Last Man on Earth” scenario may seem attractive, it fails to take in to account the realities of labour division, round-the-clock vigilance, and the psycho-social necessities of the human condition. In the end, only a community can offer all of the things lacking from the above situations. We’ve already discussed the physical facilities and resources available at a typical prison. What we haven’t discussed is the human factor. A typical prison will include hundreds (even thousands) of inmates and nearly as many staff members. Correctional officers are only one (albeit important) aspect of this. Unlike the stereotypical “dumb guard” depiction, most officers (particularly at the federal level) are university-educated career professionals who often move up into other specialty and management positions. In addition to firearms, self-defence, searching and first aid training they also have experience in things such as interpersonal skills training and conflict resolution. As mentioned under the Maintenance Facilities section, there will be a number of trades people amongst both the staff and inmates. There will be medical personnel including doctors, nurses, dentists and mental care professionals. There will be teachers and programs officers. There will also be administrative and management staff. While these people may appear relatively useless at first they possess important skills when it comes to maintain a large community and keeping it running efficiently. One of the major concerns with prisons as a long term community are the inmates. Who wants to wait out the crisis and rebuild the new world with murders, rapists, and thieves!?! Well, the first thing you must consider is that 99% of inmates were going to be released on the street at some point and then they were going to be in your community anyways. Secondly, you have to understand that people are incarcerated for a wide variety of crimes and an even wider variety of “reasons”. For every psychopathic homicidal maniac in the prison, there are a dozen marijuana growers, drunk drivers, and fraudsters. Yes, there are hardcore gang members, drug addicts, and habitual car thieves in prison. Now, imagine a world with no gangs, nowhere to drive and no more recreational drugs. When the criminogenic factor that brought you to prison no longer exists, is it not possible that these individuals could become productive members of “society”? Finally, you have to understand that when the dead roam the earth seeking to eradicate the living, many criminals would want to reconsider their situation and do whatever it takes to become productive members of the prison community, if only for selfish reasons. As well, the “good people” of the world (by the way, what crimes did they commit out of necessity once the crisis hit) will have to consider if they want to reconsider who is who in the “us versus them” mentality. The fact of the matter is that the inmates will form an important part of the prison community and a system will have to be put in place to facilitate and accommodate this as well as how to deal with the truly dangerous minority. With the vast pool of individuals (staff, families, refugees, and inmates) to chose from, you will find not only a wide variety of careers but specialist skill sets as well. There may be military doctrine experts, machinists, ham radio buffs, electronic experts, skilled scavengers, hunters, and gunsmiths. You are also able to divide the labour more widely. From having enough trained security personnel to man a 24 hour guard, to having someone trustworthy to leave your children with, right down to unskilled labourers digging ditches and tilling fields, the community and all of its members benefit from the abilities of each individual that makes up that community. This is one of the fundamental reasons that a Bug Out “Community” is advantageous over a mere Bug Out “Location”. GETTING IN
Well this is all great if I work at a prison, but what good is all this for everyone else you may ask. The fact is that one of the biggest challenges facing anyone choosing to make a prison their BoL is getting in. However, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of being admitted. First of all, research your target. You wouldn’t choose a remote island as your BoL without finding out everything you can about the place, and a prison is no different. You need to know what prisons are in your area, what the nature of each is, what facilities and resources they have available and more. You want to familiarize yourself with the prison as much as possible. This includes what your primary and alternate routes to the prison would be. Second of all, try to cultivate an “in”. While you may not want to go to the extreme of getting a job at a prison just to have a bolt-hold in case of zombie invasion, certainly don’t rule it out either! If not actual employment, what about volunteer work? Many prisons have volunteer organizations (typically religious), but not always. If you have no personal connection to a prison, do you know somebody who does? Maybe a friend or an in-law works there. What you are trying to do here is cultivate a situation where, if you were to show up at the prison, somebody there might just say “Hey, I know that guy/gal! Let them in quick!”. Finally, and possibly most importantly, is to time your arrival very carefully. You want arrive late enough that everyone knows your admission is a life or death situation but not so late that you can’t get to the prison. The earlier it is in the crisis and the less that is know about the nature of the crisis, the less likely that staff are going to admit people without business to be there. While having a good “in” will help you out, they are not going to let that guy who reads to the slow inmates take up residence in the prison because of rumours of unrest in Africa. On the other hand, if the prison is besieged by millions of the walking dead for miles in all directions, you could be the Warden himself and you ain’t getting in. So try to time your arrival carefully. Consider moving to a “staging area” close to the prison (such as a hotel) at the first signs of trouble and be ready to move as soon as the seriousness of the situation is understood by all. When the time comes for you to approach the prison for admission, be vigilant but non-threatening. You want to avoid any undead if possible, as you are likely going to be looked on a little less kindly if you show up at the front door with a horde on your tail. As you approach, try to get an idea of what the state of the prison is. While this article has discussed how unlikely it is that the placed will be in the hands of inmates, or abandoned, or full of zombies, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cautious. You want to avoid being mistaken for a hostile, so ideally you want to stow your weapons and approach slowly with your hands raised. You need to know where the access to the institution is, whether it is the front door, the sally port, or a rope/ladder lowered over the wall. Finally, you should expect to be searched, likely have some or all of your possessions confiscated, and possibly be quarantined. Listen carefully to instructions and do what you are told. Consider the fact that they are unlikely going to let just anyone waltz in, keep their guns, and wander about the prison. Such is the price for a secure community. THE LONG TERM
The fact of the matter is that unless you are already a well-respected staff member or possess some incredible skill set and the personality to back it up, you won’t have to worry about the long term plans for the prison community. You can just lay back and do your part for the greater good when called upon. That being said, here is some food for thought on the types of situations and plans that the prison will be faced with. Refugees
Most prisons are at, over, or near capacity with inmates. Therefore it will be necessary to convert some areas of the prison into living space for the staff, their families, and any other refugees. This will likely have to include some provisions for quarantining new arrivals. There will also have to be some sort of triage and entrance assessment to determine new arrivals conditions, information, and what resources they represent.
Inmates
You can’t keep them all locked up forever, if for no other reason than you are expending resources with no return. Eventually, some sort of earned release system would need to be developed while balancing potential risks versus potential rewards.
Supplies
Hopefully you’ve got a good amount of everything you need. However, with the large number of community members, eventually it is going to run out. Some things (such as diesel fuel) will be in short supply quickly. Depending upon the situation, you may have to try to gather more supplies. In a low undead concentration area, scavenging teams can be organized. In higher concentration areas, you may be able to utilize tunnels or other escape methods to bypass the hordes around the prison. Alternatively, you may have to wait until winter when it is unlikely that the undead will be very mobile. If it is possible to make radio contact with any type of authorities, it may be possible to arrange for supply drops. Finally, you will want to do whatever you can to extend and supplement your supplies. This could include planting crops, raising animals, designing human powered generators and the like.
Leadership
While the Institutional Head and the rest of the management team are likely going to be looked to in the early part of the crisis, eventually it will become likely that other leadership methods will become desirable. This is likely to include some sort of “council” (possibly elected) representing the interests and concerns of the various components of the community (security staff, other staff, refugees, inmates, etc.).
Punishment
It isn’t just the inmates who may decide not to follow the rules and protocols put in place for the good of the community. Eventually the situation will arise that a punishment is called for and the disposition of that punishment must be very carefully considered. For minor infractions, the implementation of some sort of extra workload or loss of some privilege might suffice. The possibilities of public shaming might also be considered. However, in the case of a severe incident of jeopardizing the safety and security of the community, the consequences must be commensurate to the crime, but still carefully considered. Capital punishment eliminates the threat as well as any negative resource burden the transgressor presents but at the cost of not only one of the last remaining people on earth but the long term emotional impact on the community. Banishment is also an option in lower concentration undead situation (otherwise it is just another form of capital punishment). However this again presents several challenges. First of all, what assets do you allow a person to leave with. The easy answer is “whatever they brought with them”, but this doesn’t take into account whether the resource is critical to the community nor what resources the person has received from the community during their stay. You have to also consider that the person might be one more zombie to have to worry about, or worse, some rogue with a grudge. If you allow someone to leave, remember that they will know the EXACT location of your fort and may, one day, come back with a vengeance and perhaps even an entire army.
Zombie Attack
You are well situated to suffer little immediate danger from a zombie attack. However, you have to consider the long term effects of having a horde camped outside. In low concentration situations, it is advisable both to eliminate and dispose of any zombies that show up. This should not be that difficult given the people and resources you have available. However, you should carefully consider what options are available. Why shoot a zombie with a .223 round when you can drop a big rock on his head instead? In larger concentration situations, you want to carefully consider your options. While it is advisable to eliminate zombies, you will have to carefully husband your resources as well as guard against possible disease and/or infection from bodies you can not readily dispose of.
Marauder Attack
Many people have expressed concern that such a thriving community may present a tempting target to other survivors, particularly the “Raider” types. Frankly, I don’t give much credence to this possibility. First of all, such a scenario is only possible in a low concentration scenario. Even the bad guys aren’t going to be doing much roaming if the undead rule the earth. Secondly, the amount of resources necessary to expend in such an attack would make other targets much more attractive. Short of a fully equipped military base, you’d be hard-pressed to find a base that would require a greater outlay in terms of men, ammo, and fuel in order to defeat. It is highly unlikely that a group would be able to attain, maintain, and hold together such a force if it was dedicated to destroying other survivors as opposed to combating the zombie invasion. The viability and necessity of such an attack would also be highly undermined if you expressed an interest in legitimate trade as opposed to conflict.
CONCLUSION
Hopefully this has adequately explained why, in my opinion, prisons make ideal Bug Out Locations in case of zombie invasion. The facilities, not least of which are formidable defences, are more extensive than you will find nearly anywhere. The community and its wealth of skills are also a major asset. Finally, the fact that this is a viable long term situation presents it as a solution, rather than a temporary stop gap. I am certainly willing to discuss and debate any factors related to prisons as BoLs, as well as other related topics. I will be starting up a new thread on the discussion boards for this purpose. 