U.S. Zombie Tactical Squad

Protection from the Undead

Our team has been working to train people for the coming Zombie Apocalypse through tools and tips learned in their various fields of expertise. We expect to give you the same tools and training to ensure your one of the survivors, and not part of the undead plague. By keeping up to date on the latest literature, tools, and training we plan to show you how to stay healthy and avoid becoming one of the undead horde that will pillage humanity. So check back with us on a regular basis to ensure you are prepared to survive the Zombie Apocalypse

5 Things To Do With Down Time During The Outbreak

Posted by mercutiom On November - 23 - 2009

The zombies are loose and you’re holed up in you redoubt.  You’re safe and protected by your cohorts and compadres, and the walls between you and the undead.  The power is off to save the battery life, and your food supplies are ample to make it until the crops come in.  Now what to do?

The zombie apocalypse can be an utterly boring affair once you’ve prepared and taken care of everything else.  There’s going to be a lot of downtime between onslaughts and there’s not going to be a television to watch, and internet to play on, or even a radio to listen to (we’ll get into some of these options later.)  So what are you going to do?

Well, you will have to tend the crops and the herd animals, and weapons training should take up at least part of every day.  But in the evening, after the final meal has been served, you’ll need to find a way to entertain your mind.  So here are five options to get you through those boring nights:

  1. Read:  Books are great companions and we’ve highlighted a few here in the past.  But there are millions of books that can be entertaining and helpful during a zombie outbreak.  Our top three picks are The New Way Things Work, Mini-Farming for Self Sufficiency, and Shackleton’s Way:  Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer.
  2. Board Games:  Another good way to keep your mind active and start you thinking about tactics is by playing board and card games.  Two of our favorite board game sites are Games Overboard and Board Game Geek.  Both have reviews and instructions for playing games you’ve probably never heard of, but are exciting and enjoyable.
  3. Weapon Cleaning:  In order to keep your guns firing properly and you swords hacking through bone, they need to be properly maintained.  Take some time in front of the fire every night to hone those blades and keep that action oiled.
  4. Story Telling:  A major part of every culture are the stories they tell.  Keep the movies you love and the books you weren’t able to bring alive by telling them to your children orally.  We’re going to have to rebuild society after the undead are gone, this is but one way to begin.
  5. The Arts:  Painting, sculpture, music are all things that will change dramatically as soon as the dead begin to walk again.  Keep them alive by continuing to create anew.  Painting can be done with natural dyes, sculpture is as easy as piling up a ball of mud and carving it into a likable shape, and everyone carries with them an instrument in their voice.

Yes, the zombie apocalypse will be a frightening time, and there will be much to do to ensure your survival.  But allowing the threat to overwhelm everything that makes us human will only lead to our total demise.  Take a break when you can, and remember what makes us human.

Keep our culture alive, and keep your mind active.

Photo Credits:  mercutiom, ario_

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There seems to be a great deal of confusion on whether or not zombies will attack animals, and if they do, will those animals become infected, simply die, or go on with their lives. As this video shows, some types of zombies will indeed attack animals that enter their vicinity, but this is not always the case.

Some types of zombies will indeed attack an animal, though those same types will typically attack any warm or moving object.  Some types of zombies will only attack certain types of animals (e.g., mammals but not lizards,) and some types of zombies will only go after a human being.

To make this a little more straightforward we have come up with the following lists to help you in knowing whether or not your family pets are safe.

Zombies that Will Attack Animals:

Zombies that Will Only Attack Humans

To understand how to identify each type of zombie, please click on the links above and review the various articles.  This will advise you on how to identify your zombies, and find out whether they are a threat to only you, or if you need to protect your pets as well.

One important item to note when reviewing the articles, not all zombie types can be spread to your animals.  So while you may want to protect Spot from being eaten, if he does get bitten, you do not necessarily need to put him out of his misery.

If your pet/horse/cow/sheep does receive a bite, and you are unsure what type of zombie you have encountered, the safest option is to put the animal down.  We understand that this is difficult (nigh on impossible for some.)  We are pet owners and animal lovers ourselves, and to have to put down your own animal is one of the most difficult decisions one can make, even if it isn’t due to an infected bite from a zombie.

That said, the infected pet is no longer the loving, caring creature you have shared time and adventures with.  If not now, then soon it will turn into a vicious, ravenous creature with only your death in mind.

If you cannot bring yourself to put your pet down, and you have not been able to identify the type of zombie bite it has received, you have two options.

  1. Have an acquaintance do the dirty work for you.  Do NOT let a friend do it.  It will ruin your relationship completely.  You will always question your decision, and if a friend has to put down your beloved pet, you will forever look at them with that question, and that anger.  Make sure the person you ask is someone you either don’t like, or don’t have a close connection with.  It will change your relationship with them as well, but it’s less likely to ruin a friendship.  Ironically, it may even lead to a stronger connection with that person.
  2. Lock the possibly infected animal up and monitor it over the course of several days.  An infection that can spread to an animal will show its signs within 72-120 hours (three to five days.)  If your pet is still its same old self after that time, you can consider yourself reasonably safe and release them.

NOTE: We cannot stress enough how dangerous, and frankly stupid this option is.  Primarily, keeping a potentially infected animal locked up for up to a week can cause issues of its own.  What if you have to move because of a coming horde?  What about the animals natural biological processes and the necessary cleanup?  Where can you keep a horse locked up that where you can guarantee it won’t escape, break free, etc.?

Additionally, there is no guarantee that even after five, ten, or even 100 days that your pet is guaranteed infection free.  All creatures have different resistances to infections.  Your chihuahua may be naturally immune to the zombie bacteria, but can still pass it on if he bites you.  The only way to guarantee your safety from your pet is to put it down, no matter how difficult the decision.

To be blunt, it’s you or them.  In a war against the zombification of all humanity your pet may become collateral damage.  It’s sad, it’s difficult to come to terms with, it’s your only guarantee for safety.

In the war against zombies, animals are often caught in the middle.  Many people are forced to abandon their pets when they go on the run.  Even more are turned and have no recollection of their family and friends, much less their pets.

While some animals are trained to help humanity against the zombie threats, many are left to fend for themselves and have been known to become a danger in themselves.  Feral packs of both dogs, cats, and even escaped zoo animals have been known to roam urban wastelands after an outbreak.

For these reasons, we recommend that if you are a pet owner and you realize that an outbreak is occurring, please do something about your pets.  They will not likely be able to make it through the outbreak alive, and may even become a danger to you and your survival group.  We know it’s difficult, but it may become necessary.

Video Credit:  VideoSlave

Zombies Versus Animals

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