Posted on 04/13/2013 4:22:11 PM PDT by Kartographer
One of the largest concerns during a disaster situation is when to leave. Hurricanes, floods, chemical leaks, societal breakdowns and terrorist attacks – all cause major evacuation disruptions in urban areas when too many people are trying to flee at the same time. We have seen this with such disasters as 9-1-1, Hurricane Katrina, and evacuations from mass wildfires.
While it is important to listen and keep up to date on the current status of a disaster, as a societal whole, we have placed far too much emphasis on the government telling us when the appropriate time to evacuate is. It is important to emphasize that the needs and agendas of a local government are different than the citizens. Relying solely on the government’s ability to manage a crisis, takes the power out of a person’s hands and places into a stranger’s hands (who may not have your best interests in mind). Many have forgotten this and rely only on a governmental body to tell them when they can leave. The bottom line is the action of packing up and evacuating rests in the evacuees hands; not the governments or the businesses telling the person they have to work until they believe it is time to leave.
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Preppers’ PING!!
I’ve observed numerous evacuations due to hurricanes. Early is better by far.
Another key point is to make sure you aren’t evacuating to an area even more dangerous then where you are. Several years ago a bunch of friends left home because the hurricane was headed their way. The hurricane changed directions and hit their hotel.
Another point, gas stations run out of gas during these events. It was a shock to many people.
Or, more likely, the power's out....no juice, no pumpee.
Ever since the Northridge earthquake, I've made sure that neither car gets below a half tank - never ever.
The first conversation should be, bug out vs bug in.
The time to bug out is when (one or more of the following conditions are true)
- there is still a route to your bug out location (this one is a must. If you have no path, then you simply cant get there.
- you have the ability to move to that location in a reasonable amount of time. Walking a couple hundred miles is possible but unlikely you can support or defend for that long
- you can support (food water clothing, etc) yourself and family during the transition to your bug out location
- you have the ability to protect yourself and your family during the transition.
The more “no’s” that you accumulate from the above list the less likely a bug out is going to be successful.
I bugged out twelve years ago. Never went back!
During Hurricane Ike only major roads were open. Deputies and Constables had all the back roads closed. I’m not sure where they got the authority. Since then Perry has said that EVERY road will remain open in the future.
I have a friend who was trying to get from northern Louisianna to his home north of the Houston area during Katrina. A deputy sheriff stopped him in some little podunk east Texas town and told him if he moved his truck he was going to jail. My friend rode out most of the storm in his truck sitting on the side of the road. After a while he took off hoping the deputy was nowhere around.
During these “states of emergency” lots of local cops get on power trips. That’s another reason to leave early.
The right answer is “today”. I did it 15 years ago.
If you find that an emergency has arrived with essentially no notice, you need to be ready to move quickly. In my case it meant getting the car up to higher ground, then getting to a motel at the other end of town. I didn't have to go far, but I did have to bug out.
We who have lived on the Gulf for any period of time have hopefully learned how to prepare for the inevitable hurricane. Everyone in Galveston north for about 100 miles evacuated for Rita and all at the same time, even though most of them were told there was no need. Just too many people remembered Katrina which had hit a month earlier.
We were headed for the Hill Country, had extra gas for both cars, extra food and water, walkie talkies in both cars, lots of extra batteries, a tent, sleeping bags and blankets. 18 hours later we made it to our destination, some 200 miles from Houston. On the way we passed hundreds of cars stopped along the side of the side and in the median strip because of mechanical issues or because they left the city without filling up their gas tank. Lots of people, including those with children, had no food to eat or water to drink and all the stores and gas stations had run out early and were closed. There were gas tankers in the area west of Houston but they couldn’t get to the stations because of all the traffic. Even those that were able to were pumping right out of their truck and limited gas to 10 gallons per person.
This was indeed a test for the officials and residents in Houston area and they all failed. Certainly a lot of people were better prepared when Ike hit.
But I do fear that the huge influx of newcomers into our area that have never been through a hurricane haven’t a clue as to how to prepare.
We have all kinds of camping gear and several weeks worth of extra food and water, as well as a supply of gas so my family will be fine for a while.
After going through the Rita fiasco we always leave early. It’s just not worth the risk of having to deal with the millions of people if you wait too long.
I’ve posted this before but we never rely on the authorities. They’re idiots. We’re usually the ones telling them that there should be evacuations. When you hear on the tv that the airport is flooded and homes are being washed away then you’d think LE would be in full emergency mode and driving up and down streets warning people. But noooo, not our LE who ask what flood when you call. Then the river authority people are located a couple hours away behind their computer screens will flat out tell you there isn’t a flood when you’re watching it outside your window. Fools and idiots!
As the article says, you MUST fend for yourself and have a plan of action worked out in advance.
There’s been many times we’ve been blocked in for one reason or another but no worries since we knew it was temporary. There’s been a few times we’ve been temporarily blocked from getting home. And there’s been a couple times we’ve packed up, grabbed the kids and pets and headed for safer ground. Not once did LE ever notify us.
Being in a car is about the worst place. During hurricanes I don’t remember seeing any cops out. The human garbage comes out pretty quick though.
When Katrina cleared Florida and hit the Gulf, and the forecast track was into NOLA, I said “it would be time to leave if I lived there.” It moved across the Gulf pretty quickly.
I had been following hurricanes pretty closely using the NOAA track predictions. Much better than watching the local weatherman.
If I have to bug out of this rural area,its going to be worse in the cities and overall everywhere its going to be real bad.
I gave the kids (grown - agewise) detailed paper maps of back roads and have stressed to them how impossible navigating highways will be but all I get are eyerolls. Hope I’m never proven right.
I evacuated from Hurricane Ivan, and it technically hit me as "Tropical Storm", according to the National Weather Service.
I have since been through a Cat 1 Hurricane that was a lot less intense as "Tropical Storm Ivan."
For a hurricane I’m not bugging out for anything less than a cat 4. I’m about 3 miles from the gulf beach but not in an evacuation zone.
Bought my bug out location in the Ozark mountains a year and a half ago then bugged out to it last summer.
I'm afraid those two big/tall Oak trees will fall in my house. I’l go to that hotel which is actually within walking distance if I had to, and stay until the hurricane passes, then go back to the house. I have two bags ready this minute to go to the hotel.
In mid to late June, I'll go to the hotel and talk to the manager and tell him what I'm going to do. At the first hint of a hurricane that “might” go to Beaumont or Galveston, he will know he's getting a call from me as soon as a date is sort of nailed down, for the safest room in the building and I'll pay him for that right now if I can. If one doesn't come, the latest we have gotten one is the last of Oct., that money will stay there or he can give it back if he can't keep it.
Even if my house is smashed, I can live on my large outside uncovered deck because I've got a tent and what I need and the covered deck will have the cooking equipment. My many cans of food will be in the wreckage of the fallen trees on the house. If a tree has hit the outside deck and the covered deck, I'll get whoever I need to cut that tree up and get it away from the house. If I have to, I can stay at that hotel until I figure out something else.
I've thought of all the possibilities that could happen so I won't be surprised if it happens. I also know where the gas and water cutoffs are to the house, the water one isn't a problem, and I have the special tool to cut off the gas.
I have to face this every year so it's a repeat performance every year.
For those who live in low lying areas south of my town, Houston to Galveston, they need to leave as soon as they know it's likely to come here. Get the hell out so they won't be stuck on the highway.
After the Rita disaster of people dying on that road to Dallas, cars not moving all the way to Dallas, and cars running out of gas with no way to get off the road, Perry has fixed that problem. When there is a “possibility” one is coming to Texas, he stations gasoline trucks along the main exist highways from Galveston all the way to Dallas and they will fill a car at no charge to the drivers so cars won't be stopped.
The exit highways to San Antonio will be the same and exit highways east will be the same. The direction hurricanes come in, it's usually “Go West, Young Man” to get away.
No, most people in this area all the way to Galveston don't have stored water or food. Idiots.
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