Also might come in handy as a tool in more ways than the machete. Open doors, smash windows, chop firewood and you'd probably still manage to sharpen some sticks with it. As a weapon I do not think that a machete is easier to use without any training.

Fire Axe requires you to be pretty dead on with every swing. You miss or misalign the edge coming down and it bounces off their skull. They feel nothing and now you've got to lift up that axe for another swing. You'll tire yourself out pretty quickly but if the edge lasts long enough I suppose it could be used to make spears as well. Spears, even just makeshift ones from sticks, are light and if you miss it's almost effortless to get another go at it.

Absolutely the last place you'd ever want to be. Everyone loots stores, it's safer to loot locally first. Best case scenario everything is cleaned out. Worst case, you find other people. Or other "people".

Which has a shelf life.

My partner worked at a water bottling station and they kept a "dead archive" of production for quality control: dark, cool room, away from machinery and chemicals.

Archived samples were cleared after 5 years. Out of curiosity, they decided to try the water before emptying the bottles and it was foul. Blamed on too long storage time.

When the plant shut down, the archive was fully cleared and samples older than 6 months were drinkable but not pleasant to, older than a year tasted bad.

Water does not stock well and even worse when exposed to sun light.

Ah but see, a firearm requires cleaning, oil, and ammunition. The suppressed sidearm will lure in your neighborhood while anything unsuppressed is going to call everything within 8 blocks right to you. Dog is a mouth to feed, mess to clean, and is also loud unless you've trained them very, very well. Making light isn't hard but everyone can see light - including zombies. NVGs are just for you. Water you can clean yourself but I assume you mean boiling which would need a fire.. and everyone can see the light and smoke.