Baptists take Zombies seriously, what about you?

Surprisingly, many people are caught unaware how to survive zombie attack, despite the release of many educational films which deal with the subject. As such, we at Davis Wiki have assembled a survival guide, so you know how to deal with zombie attacks. For a more general info you may also want to check out The Zombie Survival Guide.

Initial Response

When you first hear about the attack, take a good look around you. Look and listen. This, of course, assumes that you don't find out by being already under attack! If you are under attack, or even if you aren't, head for some shelter immediately. It should either be a place that you can secure and hide, or a vehicle that can help you make a hasty retreat.

It is unlikely that your initial location will be safe, at least in the long term. You'll need to move to some place in order to get food and water, and to meet other non-infected humans to watch your back. If you're sure you have time, take any weapons, water, food, flashlights, fuel, and other tools you have on hand with you, in that order. Remember, the goal is survival, not preservation of all of your stuff. Each one will keep you alive a little longer, but none will save you if you dally behind and someone chomps on your brains.

For emergency updates on the outbreak, tune to 101.5fm or 90.3fm or scan the AM band. One of the local Wiki users getting ready for the end.

Transit

Transportation to a place of safety is key. Of course in Davis, we have a lot of bicycles. Bicycles do have some advantages, such as more flexibility to go through narrow areas and not requiring fuel. However, bicycles don't afford nearly as much protection (for the occupants) as a closed-shell vehicle, so you won't be able to drive over the Zombies. But by arming yourself with a sharp lance you have also developed a powerful system of de-zombification. Remember to watch your bike's weak spot — zombies want chaaaaains. Trailers, extracycles, saddle bags, baskets and hulahoop/gun racks can help you carry all the zombie killing and survival gear you need to reach safety. It's not as fast as a car, but it's almost certainly better than running! If one of your friends does have a car, car-pooling is a great way to get there safely and efficiently.

For those of you who missed the opportunity to leave town safely, you'll probably want to head to campus, as it has taller, more defensible positions.

Unless you live on the outskirts of Davis, you may have trouble escaping Davis on your own. So you'll probably want to get to a safe place before proceeding on out of town. You'll also want to stock up on provisions, especially if the attack is widespread.

North Davis, Northern Central Davis

You'll need to get weapons, and you need to get them soon. Big 5 Sporting Goods is the only place that sells guns in the City of Davis, so you'll want to get there soon. They have a lot of windows, so it's not easily defensible, so it will be a smash-and-grab mission. If you have time, visit Safeway as well, though beware meeting zombies here, as it's a much more popular place. Afterward, get on the freeway and go! Go north towards Woodland, as you'll want to get as far away from the Davis population center as possible. If you have reason to think that Woodland may also have infected individuals, exit at either Country Road 29 or 27 and turn left (west). When you hit the Highway 505, you have a choice. Depending on what you know about the nature of the infection (AM radio is your friend), you may choose to go south towards the Bay Area, or north to the middle of nowhere. If you have no information, go north towards Redding, as the area is much less populated and likely has fewer zombies. Another, alternate idea is to run to the hills by going immediately west, towards Lake Berryessa.

West Davis

Given your relative isolation, you may just want to get the hell out of dodge. Isolated areas are your friends — easy to see zombies come, fewer zombies to worry about. If you're near the 113, take that. If you're closer to Lake, head north on Lake or west on Russell. If you're going out on Russell, turn north at Road 98. Do not turn south! You do not want to know what happens at the Monkey Farm when an infectious zombie disease strikes. Thinking about it, that's probably where the infection came from in the first place. :( In any case, the north is more isolated with fewer trees than south or west, and isolated flat plains are your friend. If you have reason to think that Woodland may also have infected individuals, turn left (west) at either Country Road 29 or 27. When you hit the Highway 505, you have a choice. Depending on what you know about the nature of the infection (AM radio is your friend), you may choose to go south towards the Bay Area, or north to the middle of nowhere. If you have no information, go north towards Redding, as the area is much less populated and has likely fewer zombies.

East Davis

The Peoples Republic of East Davis is virtually indefensible during a zombie onslaught. Crappy road access, and not a lot of services. Best advice is to head to campus. If you can't make it across the tracks to downtown, and can't leave Davis safely, the Nugget supermarket is the only truly defensible supermarket in town! It only has one opening, and no real windows near the ground level except for the door itself. When braced with the proper equipment, you could actually stand a chance in here for a while. However, since zombies exhibit superhuman strength, it is not a good idea to stay here for long, as they may break through any barriers you erect. You can also head by the Police Station, to pick up on firearms and trained users of said firearms.

Be alert! If Sacramento falls to the zombie hordes, they may start crossing the river.

If you're on the north side, your exit point is up Pole Line, a.k.a. Road 102. You may choose to continue north to Woodland — if Woodland is compromised, pass through the small section of city quickly. You can continue on 102 up towards Knight's Landing and Chico. You may also want to turn left on Road 29 or 27, and follow the directions for North Davis above if you feel Woodland would be more dangerous. Southern East Davis: Head to Mace and I-80. While eastbound to Sacramento seems attractive, this is a very bad idea. If the disease is kept within Davis, it is likely that the causeway will be destroyed to protect the major population center of Sacramento. Alternatively, if Sacramento is the source of the scourge, then blocking the causeway and rail lines may be a good idea. Given, if Sacramento is already infected, you're as good as dead. If westbound 80 looks clear, take it — otherwise, head out on Mace into the farm fields. Isolation is your friend, as you can see the zombies coming and there's fewer of them. Don't forget to listen to AM radio, too. Turn right on Midway Road, and head west. Unless you know for sure that Dixon and Vacaville are clear, you'll want to turn south on Highway 113 (a two-lane road). It's the only way across all of the sloughs of the Delta. You'll probably want to turn west upon reaching Highway 12, as it will take you to Travis Air Force Base and Fairfield. Eastward leads Rio Vista, and from there either Stockton or the far East Bay.

South Davis

There's not much in terms of services or weapons for you, so you'll mostly want to get out of town. For the most part, follow the escape directions for southern East Davis above. However, you have an additional option of taking Drummond south, onto the dirt roads of the farm fields. After that, you can turn left until you hit Mace, turn right (south), and then continue on the directions above.

Downtown Davis, Southern Central Davis

Not many resources for you — just get out using one of the other options. And remember, you can run stop signs in the event of zombie attack! Be careful of zombies above the underpass — they'll cling on your vehicle!

You can camp out in Council Chambers, if you must, but beware of Zombie Sue Greenwald trying to munch on Lamar Heystek's head.

Campus

Campus has the most interesting options. And if you're a Freshman, it's where you're most likely to be, as you don't have a car. You knew the lack of a car would be the death of you, you just knew it! Not to fear (um, not too much fear)! Campus has some of the best weapons and utilities to help you fight a full-scale zombie invasion. If you have access to a car, you may just want to jet. Northbound 113 is likely the best choice, though westbound 80 is not bad either. Read on to the next section if you can't just leave, or want/need to stock up before you go.

Surviving on Campus

Firearms

There are only two places you can get firearms on campus, which is pretty good considering that's about the same for the whole City of Davis. The first is the UC Davis Police Station, and just up the road, Hoagland Hall. Hoagland houses the ROTC armory in its basement (you'll need to take the freight elevator on the west side down to access it. Warning: it's a dark, unused basement, and seems kind of spooky under normal circumstances. However, if you make it all the way to the other side of the hall, a small room houses the ROTC stash. Getting inside the stash may be problematic without the help of an "authorized user," but perhaps some improvised explosive devices could be of use?

Improvised Explosive Devices

Chemistry Building is the answer. They have a whole section, sitting outside the building in a shed on the south side, of tanks of gasses. Hmm, oxygen and methane... that should work! The nearby Craft Center has some welding classes, which means oxygen and acetylene on tap!

Additionally, use some of the bad vodka from frat parties to make molotov cocktails.

Fuel

Unless you get a CNG university vehicle, that methane from the Chem Building isn't going to do you any good. However, on La Rue south of the Dairy, Fleet Services has just about any kind of fuel you want. The nearby Unitrans shop even has hydrogen gas. Oh, look, another improvised explosive.

Vehicles

Besides fuel, Fleet Services even has vehicles! The vans are probably the best choice, and trucks are also good. However, unless you have time to tie one set of keys to the appropriate vehicle, you may want to check out the Unitrans yard. There's nothing like running over a zombie with a big red bus for catharsis. And did you know that all of the busses are push-to-start? Once you're inside the vehicle, there's no key necessary to start. Now, I know you're thinking, doesn't this pose a security risk to Unitrans' operations? Well, the thing about stealing a big red bus is that you've just stolen a big red bus that has Unitrans painted on it. And besides, they're mostly dead by now. There may also be a bus or two parked next to Toomey Field, so you can grab that as well. Unitrans also has the upside of access to emergency channels for police and fire in their radios. An honorable mention goes to the Western Farm Equipment Center, which has slow vehicles like tractors, but the ability to plow the infected down.

There's a particularly dangerous, but particularly good option. If you know how to fly, the University Airport is a great way to go. Once you're in the air, you're basically free. The problem is, it's likely close to ground zero for the infection, which is quite likely the monkey farm.

Camping/Hiding; Water and Food

You might just need a safe place to hide. And due to the number of windows on most campus buildings, this is a really significant problem for zombie defense. There are a few good places on campus, though.

Lower Freeborn. Its entry points are well guarded, and it connects to the MU underground. Plus, KDVS will help you tell the world about the terrible, terrible disaster that has befallen Davis. And play some bitchin' tunes. You know, forget what I said earlier about AM radio, keep the dial on 90.3 KDVS FM. You can also try out the Aggie's Orgazmatron if you're bored. The big downside of this location is lack of food, which you can only get with dangerous raids to the Coffee House or Aggie Student Store. The Police Station, with its bulletproof glass and weapons, is also a fine choice. There are also some fire engines nearby for escape, but again, no food. Tercero Dining Commons. Tons of food, and it's all on the second floor! Block the main entrance, and use the employee entrances for exit and entry on the back side. If water and gas hold out, which they likely will given the proximity of the water tower, you can survive for days in here. Unfortunately most of the portable food is downstairs in Trudy's. It's got decent proximity to Fleet Services and Unitrans for escape, but no real weapons other than chairs. Still, it's probably the best place to hang out on campus until help arrives.

Dealing with the infected

Don't be stupid. If you think someone could be infected, restrain them immediately. Be prepared to kill them at the first signs of hunger for brains. Don't forget, they'll have superhuman strength if infected so do not try out your martial arts skills and/or self-defense skills. If the incubation period passes, you'll likely be safe, but remember, it's better to be safe than sorry.

If you are unsure how to deal with zombie-infected humans and/or zombies (possibly due to long exposure to this , that , and/or others), you could talk to consultants here and here about the course of action you should take (this is recommended unless you have a zombie-proof shelter or an ejection seat guaranteed to transport you to a zombie-free zone). Be sure to bring as much coffee and food supplies as possible if you decide to talk to said consultants, as the length of the consultation is said to be dependent on "however long it takes for the bunnies and squirrels nearby Death Star to fall in love and have offspring with each other."

Due to the unpredictableness of bunny-squirrel love, it is a good idea to prepare yourself throughly beforehand through research and tactics-planning.

In case of zombie attack on the wiki

Run to Philbo or the wokky, and revert like mad.

How to Deal with Zombies Ethically

For those unsure of the course of action they should employ upon zombies and zombie-infected humans, this might be a good place to ask questions("Do infected humans necessarily become zombies?" or "Is it ethical to kill a zombie when it/he/she poses harm upon me/another human being?"...), consult the experts, pose opinions, and commiserate with other humans who are equally confused. Realizing that the zombies are already dead, or undead, should help any squeamish WEFies get over their non violent objections.

National Response

The Centers for Disease Control have finally wised up and issued recommendations for a Zombie Apocalypse emergency plan. Thank goodness!

As of March 2013, it looks like UC Davis has followed suit:

Zombie Defense Purchases

Ace Hardware has been known to provide very complete inventory of supplies for a possible zombie apocalypse. Unfortunately the known Ace Hardware for this is in Lenexa, Kansas, and not here in Davis. You could possibly order by mail from them, but it would defeat the Davis ethic of buying local. Just another Davis dilemma for dealing with civil defense.

2008-06-16 14:02:58 I am very happy to see this information up. Being prepared for a potential zombie attack is crucial for any community. Lets just hope its not the fast zombies. —DagonJones

2008-06-17 15:47:13 A much needed page indeed. I lost an uncle to the yuba city outbreak in back in '85. Had the the internet been around on the level it is today, we could have gotten word out faster and prevented a lot more infection. We probably wouldn't have had to put poor uncle Dan down the way we did. Thanks for posting. Go Daviswiki! —jefftolentino

2009-01-27 11:54:39 A zombie outbreak was recently reported. Warnings have been placed on road signs, as shown in this photograph: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10149229-52.html?tag=rtcol;pop —IDoNotExist

2009-02-04 18:59:35 This page adequately addresses a zombie attack due to infection or disease. If the cause was paranormal in nature, however, I'd add that one must be really wary of going anywhere near East Davis given the prominence of the graveyard. —KevinChin

And after swine flu takes its toll on Davis, there will be a lot more "raw material" with which to build zombie armies.

2009-04-20 21:00:59 I am reassured by this page since I will be living in Davis this July. I am glad that there are people out there that are figuring out how to survive a zombie attack. Thank you, Davis Wiki! —RyanMikulovsky

2010-11-01 10:54:03 There are some crazy people who are already armed for a zombie attack down in South Davis. I heard that if you're cool enough, they'll let you be part of their survival group. —RickJames

2013-06-12 03:11:42 Zombies aren't real people need to get over it. I h8 how my friends pull me into scenarios asking me what if zombies were coming to get us and how would we survive. Then I say it's not real zombies aren't real and they say I know. and then they keep on believing. Foolish. —teamdarwin