No Escape

One of the biggest mistakes a person can make in a zombie survival situation is to hide in a building with only one entrance or exit. If there is only one way in, you have no way to get out if your adversaries find you. While easy to defend, it is also impossible to leave. With that thought in mind we get to today's topic, escape routes.

And now you're stuck.

The second thing a person should do upon entering ANY room or building is identify an alternative way out. You must be able to get out if the way gets blocked with debris. Forgetting the zombies for a moment, if there is only one way out and it gets blocked you are stuck. This is, obviously, undesirable. You can no longer get out for food, water or supplies. An area with only one entrance is a good way to starve yourself to death.

If we add in the danger of zombies we see an even higher priority for alternative egress. You do not want to be forced to fight your way through hordes of zombies just to get out of the room you're in. You or your group need an alternative escape route. This should be the second thing you identify when entering an area. The first is, of course, whether there are any zombies in said area.

Beware falling debris.

Do not limit this to doors. Windows can be very effective escape routes if you are on the ground floor and you have a tool capable of removing the glass from the window. (See Crowbars) Windows are also viable if there is a fire escape. Always be careful with fire escapes. If in a group, send multiple people (never move alone) to scout out the fire escape and evaluate it as a an escape route. Beware of heading to roofs. The roof is one of the ultimate single exit areas. While, yes, technically they have an unlimited number of escape routes, those escape routes inevitably end with a step out into thin air. It will get you off the roof. It will NOT get you off the roof safely.

Always locate your exits.

Ideally you will confine yourself to areas with multiple doors exiting in different directions. Dozens of doors are not desirable. You want to be able to hold the room if needed. Three is an excellent number. Two is acceptable. Any more than four and you have an area that is very hard to fortify. If you decide to stay in an area, block up any entrance to your area that does not make an effective escape route. The last thing you want is to leave a gaping hole in your defense that zombies can come slithering through.

So remember, always check your exits. Sometimes it's better to move on and check the next building than to hole up in a building you can't get out of. Luckily, most buildings in America are required to have multiple exits.