Preparing for the zombie apocalypse has never been more apt. There are now more zombie-themed survival games than you can count, so you can see if you have nerves of steel if you were faced with hordes of the undead. In Reading, there’s a deserted shopping centre where people can pretend have to make their way through a small army of hauntingly-realistic zombies, while across the pond, Michigan State University has introduced an accredited course on how to prepare for a theoretical zombie pandemic.
Given this growing interest, we at Shredall SDS Group wanted to use our expertise in secure storage to tackle the subject from a different angle - by exploring which buildings would be well protected enough to deal with a zombie apocalypse.
While it’s fair to say that we’re unlikely to ever experience a zombie apocalypse, it pays to be prepared. In the event of an actual outbreak, most of us would probably just grab the nearest blunt object and barricade ourselves in our local pub (Shaun of the Dead anyone?). For those of us who would, quite rightly, prefer a better plan, we’ve compiled a list of the six sites in the world that would give people inside the best chances of surviving an attack by hordes of the undead.
- Cheyenne Mountain Complex, US
Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheyenne_Mountain_Complex_entrance.jpg
The Cheyenne Mountain complex is a military bunker located in El Paso County, Colorado. This Cold War-era installation is one of the USA’s most secure sites - shielded by 2,500 feet of granite, it is said that the facility could withstand nuclear bombs and biological weapons. It stands to reason, then, that it would be your best bet to survive a zombie apocalypse. With 6 million gallons of water stored in pools carved right out of the rock and with 510,000 gallons of diesel to fuel generators, anyone lucky enough to be inside could survive for a long time without ever having to brave the outdoors. They’ve even already prepared for a zombie apocalypse - well, sort off. Every year they hold a charity run along the 5K cave tunnel running through the complex, where participants have to run away from brain-eating zombies. A unique experience to say the least.
- The Pentagon, US
Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/pentagon-washington-dc-mili...
As the home of the USA’s Department of Defence, the Pentagon is where some of the country’s most secretive plans are drawn up. It is therefore imperative that it remains secure in the event of any form of attack and is already ahead of the curve when it comes to preparing for zombies having had a plan in place since 2011!
Known as CONPLAN 8888-11, the strategy aims to provide a contingency plan in the event of attack by an outbreak of flesh-eating undead. It includes ideas of how to deal with vegetarian zombies (think graaaainsss rather than braaaiiinnnss) and alien zombies brought to Earth by an extraterrestrial lifeform
While this plan was written as a training exercise for young recruits, the military’s motto of ‘always be prepared’ is certainly not lost on those working at the Pentagon. It is one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the world, with measures in place to guard against chemical and nuclear attacks. Armed guards are present around every corner and security cameras are installed throughout the complex, ensuring anyone trying to get in - living or dead - is kept under watch.
- US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, US
Credit:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bullion_Depository.TI
Being the third US-based site on our list of buildings ready for a zombie apocalypse, you might be starting to think about booking a one trip across the pond! The US Bullion Depository is perhaps the most secure building on the planet, housing approximately $270 billion in gold reserves. In the event of a zombie-fueled chaos, the most valuable thing about the site might not be the gold, but rather the incredible protection from outside threats.
The site is located behind four fences, two of which are electric. Beyond that, you’ll find granite walls four feet thick, armed guards and a 22-ton vault door which can only be opened using a highly classified set of access codes. It’s also suspected that the surrounding area is covered in motion detectors and land mines. Oh, and it’s located on a military base that houses 30,000 American soldiers and 300 tanks. Take that zombies!
- Svalbard seed vault, Norway
One of the stranger locations on the list, the Svalbard seed vault is located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Although not as heavy defended as other buildings, its remoteness gives it an advantage over other sites affected by hordes of the undead.
Located about 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole, it would be extremely difficult to reach on foot. Moreover, the extremely cold weather would slow down any zombie trying to reach it, giving you enough time to escape if need be (unless they’re white walkers, in which case your chances would be slim).
The Svalbard seed vault also has the advantage of having been designed with the worst case scenario in mind. Scientists from around the world have sent a range of crop seeds that would enable the planet to reboot in the event of a global disaster. With over 930,000 samples of different seeds and the right equipment, anyone inside could grow the necessary crops to survive a zombie apocalypse. The added bonus is that if the cooling system fails, the seeds could still remain viable for hundreds of years, allowing anyone inside to repopulate the Earth and eventually fight back.
- Area 51, US
Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg
If there’s anywhere that’s prepared for a zombie apocalypse, you’d bet good money that it’d be Area 51. This top secret military testing site is located in Nevada's Mojave Desert and has been the focus of many conspiracy theories related to UFO sightings and secret experiments using alien weaponry. Regardless of where you stand on these theories, what’s certain is that the US government is desperate to protect Area 51 from outside interference.
After many years of securing the site, it stands to reason that Area 51 would survive a zombie apocalypse. It’s protected by armed security, who are equipped with night-vision gear and encrypted radio frequencies. The entire military facility is also surrounded by sensors planted in the ground that can pick up the slightest of movements, meaning any zombie hungry for brains will be dealt with before it poses a serious threat.
Finally, none of the buildings have windows, as personnel working on the site are not allowed to see anything unrelated to their duties. This could play to a survivor’s favour in a zombie apocalypse, offering some much-needed protection from the wandering eyes of a rotting corpse looking for his next meal.
- Bahnhof Underground Data Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5_Pionen_D...
The final building on our list is the Bahnhof Underground Data Centre, a state-of-the-art facility situated 100 ft underground inside a Swedish bunker built to prepare for Cold War nuclear annihilation. The site, which has servers to protect some of the most sensitive digital information in the world, has a number of features which make it perfect for surviving a zombie attack.
Firstly, it only has one entrance - a tunnel which eventually leads to a 16-inch thick armored door which is effectively impenetrable. Any zombie hordes could be kept firmly at bay, giving those lucky enough to be inside some valuable peace and quiet.
Secondly, the data centre would allow anyone inside to communicate with the outside world at ease, potentially negotiating a rescue or for resources to be brought in. The site is kept cool by a cooling system powered by the chilly mountain air and local water systems, meaning the servers could be maintained and utilised for many years.
This was our list of the six buildings that would be most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse. While we couldn’t keep you as secure as these sites, our facilities would certainly give you a decent chance.
Our data storage depots are kept underneath our main warehouse in Nottingham, in which we’ve also built vaults for added security. We keep our clients’ most important documents within the solid walls of these vaults, with electronic access doors and cameras to monitor every square inch of our facilities - pretty useful for alerting us of an incoming horde! We provide a complete information-management service, from shredding and recycling to document scanning and document storage. Enquire today to see how we could help you.
