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9. KNOCK!:Before entering a room, locked or otherwise, always listen for activity inside. A zombie could be on the other side of the door—docile, quiet, ready to move at the first sign of prey. How is this possible? Maybe bitten humans succumbed behind their locked doors. Maybe they were put there by other, uninformed humans who believed they were protecting their loved ones. For whatever reasons, the chances of this scenario are at least one in seven. If at first you hear nothing, make some noise. This will either galvanize any silent ghouls or confirm that the room is empty. No matter what, be on your guard.
10. Be Thorough:In the early stages of an outbreak, people tend to capture, not kill, zombies they have known in mortal life. When the captors have either fled or been devoured, restrained zombies may remain for years, able to repeat the cycle if released. After an area has been swept for ghouls, sweep it again. Then, sweep it again. Zombies could be anywhere—in sewers, attics, basements, cars, air ducts, crawl spaces, even inside walls or under mounds of debris. Pay particular attention to bodies of water. Zombies wandering at the bottom of lakes, rivers, even reservoirs have been known to surface well after an area has been declared safe. Follow the instructions later in this chapter for proper aquatic search-and-destroy.
11. Maintain Communication:Remaining linked to every member of your group is one of the most vital factors in a successful mission. Without proper communication, hunters can become separated, overrun, or accidentally shot by their own people (as in conventional warfare, this happens more than is generally acknowledged). Small, two-way radios—even the inexpensive brands marketed in electronics stores—are the best way to remain in contact. Walkie-talkies are also preferable to cell phones in that their signals do not depend on satellites, relays, or any other external aids.
12. Kill And Listen:After a skirmish, always be wary of secondary zombie groups. The moment a ghoul is put down, cease all activity and listen to the world around you. Chances are that if any zombies are within earshot, they have overheard the battle and are moving in on your position.
13. Dispose Of All Bodies:Once the area is truly secure, burn both the bodies of the undead and those in your party who have fallen. First, this erases the chance of infected human corpses reanimating as zombies. Second, it prevents the health risk associated with any type of rotting flesh. Freshly slain humans provide an attractive meal for birds, scavenging animals, and, of course, other zombies.
14. Incendiary Control:When using fire, make sure you keep in mind the larger implications. Can you control the blaze? If not, the fire will endanger your group. Is the zombie threat serious enough to warrant destroying great amounts of personal property? The answer may seem obvious, but why burn down half a town to kill three zombies that could be destroyed by rifle fire? As stated previously, fire can be as powerful an enemy as it is an ally. Use it only when necessary. Make sure your team can easily escape a wild blaze. Make sure you know where all explosive and poisonous chemicals are stored and if their destruction could endanger your team. Make sure you practice with your incendiary tools (blowtorch, Molotov, flare, etc.) before entering a combat zone so you know what they are capable of. Be aware of flammable fumes such as a leaking gas main. Even without resorting to fire as a weapon, the danger of these fumes, spilled chemicals, leaking fuel tanks on automobiles, and a host of other hazards are enough to prohibit smoking during any search-and-destroy mission.
15. Never Go Off Alone!:There may be times when it seems wasteful to send an entire team to do one person’s job. Wouldn’t five individuals cover more ground than a group all bunched together? In terms of time and efficiency, yes. For safety, the priority of any zombie sweep, staying together is mandatory. A separated individual could easily be surrounded and consumed. Even worse, hunters have come up against walking dead who only hours before were members of their own party!
Weapons and Gear
Arming and equipping a civilian, antizombie team should follow the same pattern as a military unit. Each person should have a standard “kit” in addition to certain items required for the whole team.
Every member should carry:
* Primary firearm (rifle or semiautomatic carbine)
* Fifty rounds of ammunition
* Cleaning kit
* Secondary weapon (preferably a pistol)
* Twenty-five rounds of ammunition
* Hand-to-hand weapon (large or small)
* Knife
* Flashlight
* Two emergency flares
* Signaling mirror
* Two-way radio
* Two ways of making fire (matches, lighter, etc.)
* Full quart canteen
* Daily rations
* Personal mess kit
* Hiking or combat boots
* Two pairs of socks
* Bedroll or pad
Each group (ten people or fewer) should have:
* Two silent weapons (could be carried as secondary weapons)
* Three explosive devices
* Two grappling hooks
* 500 feet of rope (nylon construction,7 /16" diameter, tensile strength 6,500 lbs., load absorption 1,450 ft./lb.)
* Two pairs of binoculars (minimum 50mm lenses/10X power)
* Two crowbars (could be carried as hand-to-hand weapons)
* Two bolt cutters
* Tool kit (must include: hammer-claw and ball-peen 4 oz., diagonal 4" pliers with spring, 4?6" longnose pliers with cutter, Phillips screwdrivers [3", 4", and stubby], slot screwdriver [4?5"], jeweler?s screwdrivers set, 12" ?1 /2" hacksaw, 3M electrical tape, adjustable wrench, hand drill with 2?5mm bit set)
* Ax or hand hatchet (could be carried as hand-to-hand weapon)
* Medical kit (must include: bandages, cotton rolls/balls, two arm slings, scissors, medical tape, Merthiolate vials, antiseptic swab sticks, antiseptic and cleaning towelettes, bacterial soap, sterile gauze/eye pads, petrolatum, sterile lancets)
* Three gallons extra potable water
* Two maps (immediate zone/surrounding area)
* Two compasses
* Extra batteries for all electronic devices
* Ten extra emergency flares
* Four compact entrenching tools (could be carried as hand-to-hand weapons)
Transportation
Unlike the scenario described in “On the Run,” the goal of this section is to help you not escape an area but sweep it. The undead are not to be avoided but attracted. Also, unlike the previous chapter, you will not be alone, and the support area should make fueling and servicing a vehicle much easier. With this in mind, using the noise from a car’s engine will act like a lure. (See “Strategies.”) In this instance, removing the rubber from a bicycle’s tires can accomplish the same result. Do not become too dependent on your vehicles. Unless applied to a specific strategy (see below), use them more as a means of getting to and from a battle site. Once in the target area, dismount and search on foot. This will allow for greater flexibility, particularly in urban areas.