Evacuation Essentials

Evacuation

A wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances you may have a day or two to prepare, while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation. Planning ahead is vital to ensuring that you can evacuate quickly and safely, no matter what the circumstances.

Information below can also be found on Ready.gov

Before an Evacuation

  • Learn the types of disasters that are likely in your community and the local emergency, evacuation, and shelter plans for each specific disaster.
  • Plan how you will leave and where you will go if you are advised to evacuate.
    • Identify several places you could go in an emergency such as a friend’s home in another town or a motel. Choose destinations in different directions so that you have options during an emergency.
    • If needed, identify a place to stay that will accept pets. Most public shelters allow only service animals.
    • Be familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area.
    • Always follow the instructions of local officials and remember that your evacuation route may be on foot depending on the type of disaster.
  • Develop a family/household communication and re-unification plan so that you can maintain contact and take the best actions for each of you and re-unite if you are separated.
  • Assemble supplies that are ready for evacuation, both a “go-bag” you can carry when you evacuate on foot or public transportation and supplies for traveling by longer distances if you have a personal vehicle.
  • If you have a car:
    • Keep a full tank of gas in it if an evacuation seems likely. Keep a half tank of gas in it at all times in case of an unexpected need to evacuate. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. Plan to take one car per family to reduce congestion and delay.
    • Make sure you have a portable emergency kit in the car.
  • If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if needed. Make arrangements with family, friends or your local government.

During an Evacuation

  • A list of open shelters can be found during an active disaster in your local area by downloading the FEMA app

Search for open shelters by texting SHELTER and a Zip Code to 43362. Ex: Shelter 01234 (standard rates apply)

Search for pet friendly shelters here

  • If time allows:
    • Call or email the out-of-state contact in your family communications plan. Tell them where you are going.
    • Secure your home by closing and locking doors and windows.
    • Unplug electrical equipment such as radios, televisions and small appliances. Leave freezers and refrigerators plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding. If there is damage to your home and you are instructed to do so, shut off water, gas and electricity before leaving.
    • Leave a note telling others when you left and where you are going.
    • Wear sturdy shoes and clothing that provides some protection such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts and a hat.
    • Check with neighbors who may need a ride.
  • Follow recommended evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts; they may be blocked.
  • Be alert for road hazards such as washed-out roads or bridges and downed power lines. Do not drive into flooded areas.

After an Evacuation

If you evacuated for the storm, check with local officials both where you’re staying and back home before you travel.

  • Residents returning to disaster-affected areas after significant events should expect and prepare for disruptions to daily activities, and remember that returning home before storm debris is cleared is dangerous.
  • Let friends and family know before you leave and when you arrive.
  • Charge devices and consider getting back-up batteries in case power-outages continue.
  • Fill up your gas tank and consider downloading a fuel app to check for outages along your route.
  • Bring supplies such as water and non-perishable food for the car ride.
  • Avoid downed power or utility lines; they may be live with deadly voltage.
  • Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.
  • Only use generators away from your home and NEVER run a generator inside a home or garage, or connect it to your home’s electrical system.

THINGS TO CONSIDER PRIOR TO EVACUATION

  • Identify several places you could go in an emergency such as a friend’s home in another town or a motel.
  • Choose destinations in different directions so that you have options during an emergency.
  • If needed, identify a place to stay that will accept pets. Most public shelters allow only service animals.
  • Be familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area.
  • Follow the instructions of local officials. Remember  your evacuation route may be on foot

DOCUMENTS TO TAKE If you must evacuate:

  • Emergency phone numbers
  • Copies of important prescriptions:
  • Copies of children’s immunization records.
  • Copies of health, dental, and/or prescription insurance cards or numbers.
  • Copies of auto, flood, renter’s, homeowner’s insurance policies, policy numbers
  • Insurance company telephone numbers, local agent and company headquarters.
  • Social Security • Credit card
    Bank account • Driver’s license
    Birth, death, adoption, and marriage certificates.
    Passports and other identity documents.
  • Emergency supply kit (Build a kit from Ready.gov)
  • Supplies for pets (supply information)

Place papers in sealed, waterproof plastic bags.  Store in a durable, sealed box.  Grab box and take with you.

Other Tips and considerations

  •  More toilet paper than you think you can possibly use.  Store it on a high shelf.  It’s no good pre-wet.
  •  Cleaning rags (old towels or old clothes, etc).  You can wash and reuse them for cleanup, which you cannot do with paper towels.
  •  Bleach for disinfecting everything.  Liquid bleach (sodium hypochlorite) loses half its strength in a year and in about 3 years is totally ineffective.  The best thing to buy is CALCIUM   HYPOCHLORITE at pool supply stores.  It’s in powder form, so you mix it as you need it.  This is called Pool Shock, but there are several chems used for that, so read the label.  You can disinfect water to drink.  Read online now for the formula to do that.
  •  Rubber gloves.   If you have any flooding, sewage will be present.  If any water damage, mold is possible.
  •  Heavy work gloves to protect you from nails, etc.
  •  Drinking water (tap water) stored in 2-liter soda bottles.  Cheapest way.
  •  CANNED fruits and veggies.  They won’t spoil or need prep.
  •  Ziploc bags for storing things.  Gallon size.  Keep your cell phone in one. Inflate one for a pillow.
  •  Waterproof matches (camping section of any sporting goods store, Walmart.  You can even make your own.)
  •  REALLY good mechanical can opener.  Get TWO of them.  My son in law and I took the boys to SC to see the eclipse and our one can opener broke.
  •  Knife and scissors.
  •  Rain gear and hats
  •  Notebook and pens.  You may be surprised how much you will need to write down.
  •  MAPS.  US and State atlases at a minimum.  If one road is blocked, you can look for others.
  •  Sharpie pens.  If you have to stay at a shelter, you will want to write your name on EVERYTHING.
  •  Sleeping bags if at all possible.
  •  Guns and ammo.  There are plenty bottom-feeders out there who prey on people who evacuate or have been hit by a hurricane.
  •  Something to pee in.  People who evacuate can be stuck in traffic for hours and hours, taking 16 hours to go a distance usually traveled in 2.

 

 

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