Hurricane Preparedness: Develop an Evacuation Plan

May 31st, 2018 | 1 min read

Do you know if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone? Knowing this information beforehand can help you when a hurricane or tropical storm approaches.

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Visit the Florida Disaster Map Hurricane Evacuation Zone Locator and see if your home or business lies in an evacuation zone!

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Voluntary vs. Mandatory Evacuations

Technically, the government cannot force people to leave their homes… even when a hurricane is approaching the coast. As a hurricane approaches, you will hear the terms “voluntary” and “mandatory” evacuations… so what does that really mean?

When officials say “voluntary evacuation” that means the governor of Florida has not issued an official evacuation order. So why do they urge “voluntary evacuations” when the governor hasn’t made an official declaration? Because local and state authorities are trying to cut down on panic and traffic congestion when the actual decree is given.

When the term “mandatory evacuation” is thrown out, that means the governor has officially released an evacuation order. Local services such as police and 911 will still be available, however, only emergency personnel will respond depending on conditions and how many requests for help are being received. As you can surmise, waiting until you need the help of local authorities is not advisable. Anyone with health issues or disabilities needs to evacuate when orders are given or ahead of the storm to ensure proper (and timely) attention is given.

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