Evacuations from your home or work are more common than many people realize. FEMA urges residents to know their evacuation routes and to heed the direction of local officials taking seriously their instructions to evacuate. According to the Ready Campaign, fires and floods cause evacuations most frequently across the U.S., and almost every year, people along coastlines evacuate as hurricanes approach. In addition, hundreds of times per year, transportation and industrial accidents release harmful substances, forcing many people to leave their homes.
You don’t have to wait for an official evacuation notice to prepare, you can start now. Contact your local emergency management agency for the evacuation routes in your community. Additionally, follow these guidelines for evacuation:
- Develop a Family Emergency Plan and include your local evacuation routes.
- If you commute, make sure you have a commuter emergency plan for travelling between work and home.
- Have emergency supplies in a Go Bag.
- Sign up for local alerts and warnings, so you know when you need to evacuate.
- Download the FEMA App to find out the location of open shelters.
Be ready to evacuate yourself and your family with Ready’s Evacuation Guidelines.