By Chris Post

When it comes to apocalypse planning there are pros and cons for both hunkering down and bugging out, but this is for certain: There are places you should absolutely avoid at all costs. Things will be a bit chaotic, but keep a clear head and stay clear of the following locations:

Hospitals

In the early stages of the zombie apocalypse people won’t understand what is happening. Those injured by zombies will be taken to the hospital for treatment. When they die and return, it will mean a suddenly high concentration of zombies who will likely overrun the doctors and nurses working there.

Although hospitals are full of useful supplies and a choice location for scavenging, your safest option is to wait a little while and let those initial zombies wander off before heading in.

Police Departments

If you’re not prepared when things go bad, you might be tempted to seek refuge at your local police station. It is probably one of the heaviest armed places in your town and the men and women there are sworn to protect and serve.

In the early part of a zombie apocalypse, however, most of the officers will be deployed into the community as dozens of reports of assault and murder begin to pour in. They will be overwhelmed by the panic and in no position to offer the safety you’re looking for. They will most likely tell you to go home. At best you might find a seat in a lobby, leaving you exposed to whoever (or whatever) comes through the door.

Stores

The best time to prepare for an emergency is yesterday. As we see time and time again from run of the mill natural “emergencies,” stores are horrible places to be when the worst is happening. If you hear reports of zombies and think “I need bread and milk,” you aren’t going to do well in the apocalypse.

Stores will be full of panicked and desperate people and you will be putting yourself at great risk to be out among them. Plan ahead and wait until things have quieted down before you venture out to restock your shelves.

Emergency Shelters

Although well intentioned, those setting up emergency shelters will most likely be unprepared for what they will face in a zombie apocalypse. Organizations like the Red Cross and FEMA simply do not have the planning or training in place to deal with this kind of crisis.

Beyond that the sheer volume of people in a confined space will be a recipe for disaster as the risk of an infected person getting inside is incredibly high. Once this happens the very fences designed to keep zombies out, will be trapping you inside.