Frequently Asked Questions

Is this for real?

Yes.

No, seriously. Do you really believe in zombies?

We at Zombie Preparedness Initiative feel it is our duty to join the proud tradition of those who have brought attention to the plight of the walking dead. However, given that the world is not, at this time, plunged into a war against zombies, we all must take this time to prepare, not only for the undead but also for all other possible disasters. We feel that only by preparing for all disasters can we truly be prepared for the zombie apocolypse.

Do you honestly believe zombies exist today?

While it is a possibility that zombies exist today, they are by no means an immediate threat and therefore it is not our prerogative to hunt them down and destroy them. We exist to help those in the world at large monitor the zombie threat and to help create a grass-roots organization made of individuals who share a common goal. Many members, though by no means all, do not believe that zombies exist today, most, though by no means all, believe that zombies will one day come to be, and some are of the belief that zombies will never, ever exist. Ultimately, we feel that no matter what you believe about zombies, it isn't a question of whether or not they exist, the questions simply is this: are you prepared?

Aren't zombies in voodoo?

Yes. While we can't speak about voodoo itself, we can tell you what is known about these type of zombies. The 'Voodoo' zombies are a combination of fact and fiction. Voodoo zombies originated in fact: Voodoo priests, it is believed, use a combination of pufferfish poison to put the person into a neurological/physiological state near-death in which all muscle control is lost, they use this in combination with drugs similar in chemical makeup to datura which leaves the person in a highly suggestible, easy to control state. There is some debate, and some believe that there is nothing more complex than psychological manipulation by the priest, no chemicals involved. Regardless of the method, Voodoo priests were able to manipulate individuals such that observers believed them to be dead, but they were capable of following the instructions of the priest. Of course, as with everything else, Hollywood picked up on the theme of the walking dead and popularized it, but not before morphing it into something totally new.

What is a zombie, really?

There is much debate among scholars, scientists and survivalists alike about what a zombie actually is. While there have been reports of zombies in the past, it is quite difficult to sort out fact from fiction and to get a clear understanding of what a zombie is. That said, zombies are people who have been infected with some agent for which there is no known vaccine or cure. This agent is spread by contact with bodily fluids and causes clinical death followed by a resurrection. In this 'resurrection,' the creature's biological and/or neurological functions are altered such that the creature is still able to move and function, but their behavior becomes highly aggressive, often caring only to attack and mutilate, thereby spreading the infectious agent. The creature will appear to have greater strength and toughness than what it once had because it will care little for its own welfare and won't respond to pain. Furthermore, because of its biological state, it can tolerate quite serious wounds with no effect to its functioning, thus, to stop zombies it requires destruction of the brain to fully stop the creature from functioning. There is great debate among many people about many aspects of this definition, but, this would be a guideline for the minimum qualifications that many believe would define a zombie.

How do zombies function if they are dead?

As previously stated, there is great debate about the nature and physiology/biology of zombies. Some would suggest that zombies who are 'alive' (versus the 'undead' zombies, who do not have normal biological function) are the only way that zombies will exist, others would suggest that this would not equate to a true zombie. The Zombie Preparedness Initiative is not in the business of debating biology, so if you have come to this site looking for the answers about the true nature of zombies, unfortunately, we have none. We feel that rather than debate about the nature of zombies, we spend the time and energy preparing for any sort of disaster, no matter what the cause. The Zombie Preparedness Initiative suggests that, for the purposes of survival, we assume that a zombie is considered 'undead' since this would force us to prepare for more contingencies: prepare for the worst, and you'll survive anything.

What is the zombie apocalypse?

A zombie apocalypse is more an idea than anything tangible. When the zombies rise, we fear that the world may be wholly unprepared and any attempt at stopping the threat by governments would ultimately end in failure. It is for this reason that we wish to organize the populace, to prepare individuals to survive in a world where there are no modern luxuries and everyone must fend for themselves in a world filled with undead. While there is some debate about just how bad this apocalypse would be, for the purposes of our debate, we encourage people to assume that this is a tunnel without a light at the end.

How do you kill a zombie?

Destroy the brain. While there does seem to be some debate about the effectiveness of other methods (stemming from the disagreement about the definition of a zombie), this is the one sure method of stopping a zombie. By removing the head you can stop the body from functioning, though the head may continue to be a threat until the brain is destroyed. Thus, for effective zombie alimination, destroy the brain.

Hey, could we use zombies to....?

Let's stop right there. The answer to your question is, invariably, no. Any question that has started in this manner has ended with much astonishment and frustration, some walking away, and even a few tears. We can answer a few common questions thusly: don't ingest the zombies, don't burn the zombies, and don't try and have sex with the zombies. Yes, these have all been questions, no, they are never a good idea. If there are further questions regarding what we shall term the 'use' of zombies, let us conclude with this: don't try and use zombies, it is simply too dangerous.

I know the perfect zombie weapon!

No. No, you don't. There is no perfect zombie weapon. Just accept it, say it out loud: "There is no perfect zombie weapon."

Wouldn't you be perfectly safe from zombies if you....?

Again, let's stop right there. We appreciate suggestions regarding survival techniques and we encourage you to debate your ideas in the forums. That said, there isn't a perfect survival technique, there is no perfect place and no perfect item that can be used to save people from zombies. We're glad you have a good idea, but realize that what works for one person probably won't work for another. Consider, for a moment, that some users are in locations where guns are illegal to own while others are not. Consider further that some people live in an area that is warm year round but others live where it is perpetually cold.

Do you really believe in zombies? I mean, c'mon. That's just dumb.

.... go away .....