I just got a relatively lucky run. I came in on the corner of a town, and as mentioned before the occupants seemed to be entertaining themselves by smashing up houses in a big wave through the town. I mostly managed to avoid them because of it, apart from the 20 or so that I've had to kill because of them hearing my cold. Doesn't matter though because I had a crowbar and enough abandoned houses to hardly take a scratch. After making myself some delicious banana-oatmeal I had a poke around the surroundings.
Helicopter crash. Yesssss.
Swiped a military backpack, a helmet, and some camo gear to cover up my otherwise poorly protected body. Unfortunately, a couple of zombies were hanging around there because they didn't hear the window-smashing riots, but I led them over the wreckage a few times to bash them to death. I had a few bite wounds but it can't really be helped.
I checked around the other houses and found a hacksaw (oh yes), various pieces of warm clothing, some water, and best of all some disinfectant in case the wounds got infected.
I then went to the bar one street over and pryed open the back door. I could see a mostly-intact car out front, and plenty of alcohol in the bar, so that's good. I went into the furthest-out house and closed all the windows. I was feeling tired so I cauterised myself and slept off the pain. I still have a cold that I got basically immediately after eating some crisps earlier, but the pain from my wounds is basically gone.
So I have a bunch of tools for crafting, a military backpack, some nice clothes, and a city that is largely empty.
Pretty good.