The Essential Max Brooks: The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z by Max Brooks Page A
Authors: Max Brooks
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, survival skills, 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. P REPARATION P ART II: S UPPLIES
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)
⢠Bicycle-powered 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 and/or 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 (80Xâ100X), 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 userâs manuals
⢠Extensive library
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, survival skills, 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. P REPARATION P ART II: S UPPLIES
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)
⢠Bicycle-powered 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 and/or 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 (80Xâ100X), 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 userâs manuals
⢠Extensive library
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