How To Survive A Zombie Outbreak In Millburn

* Editor’s Note: This article is for entertainment purposes only. In a real disaster situation, follow the instructions of your local emergency response agencies.

You’re out for a stroll in Millburn, when a zombie outbreak of massive proportion heads your way.

You look to the left and see dozens of undead shambling towards you. You look to the right and see even more ghouls bearing down. You only have a moment to decide where to go.

Where do you take refuge?

PUBLIC SAFETY AND ZOMBIES

Preparing for an undead outbreak may seem like a far-fetched scenario, but according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Defense (DOD), there is real-world value to having a “zombie emergency plan” in place.

In 2009, DOD trainees began drafting CONPLAN 8888, a strategy to help the U.S. military deal with a possible zombie outbreak. Intended to teach junior military officers how to plan for a national emergency without revealing any classified information or creating a political misunderstanding if mistakenly leaked, CONPLAN 888 proved to be a surprisingly useful training tool, according to a disclaimer in the declassified document.

See the text of CONPLAN 8888 here.

“Because the plan was so ridiculous, our students not only enjoyed the lessons, they actually were able to explore the basic concepts of plan and order development very effectively,” the DOD disclaimer reads.

In 2011, the CDC released its “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalpse” blog, which was so unexpectedly popular that it temporarily crashed the federal agency’s website.

See the CDC’s recommendations for zombie-related emergency preparedness here.

“As it turns out, what first began as a tongue in cheek campaign to engage new audiences with preparedness messages has proven to be a very effective platform,” the CDC states on its website.

NOT ALL (ZOMBIE) SHELTERS ARE EQUAL

According to The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks – a cited reference source in CONPLAN 8888 - the best places to outlast a zombie outbreak aren’t necessarily the ones that you’d seek in other survival situations such as an earthquake or a hurricane.

People should ask themselves the following questions when choosing a place to survive an undead onslaught, according to the ZSG:

• Is there a wall, fence, or other physical perimeter?
• How many potential entrances/exits are there?
• Can the people in your party simultaneously defend each fence and exit?
• Is there a secondary defensive position, multiple floors or an attic?
• Can the building be secured?
• Is there a potential escape route?
• What is the supply situation?
• Is there a water line?
• If needed, are weapons or tools available?
• Are materials available to reinforce the entrances?
• What about means of communication: phone, radio, Internet, etc.?
• Given all these factors, how long could you or your group survive an extended siege?

Some of the ZSG’s highest-rated locations include military complexes, prisons, offshore oil rigs, schools and warehouses.

SURVIVING MILLBURN: READER POLL

You’re the local experts. Where is the best place to outlast a zombie outbreak in Millburn? Share your answers in the comments section and we’ll publish the best answers in an upcoming article!

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File photo by thierry ehrmann via Flickr Commons