Hurricane Evacuations: You Can’t Make Everyone Happy

State and local officials who are in the path of any oncoming tropical system always have a tough call on their hands. Safety is the top priority, and everyone bases whether or not evacuations need to be ordered on projected storm path and strength, forecast ocean height with relation to tides and any storm surge, the orientation of coastline with respect to the storm, which areas historically tend to flood, and how long it would take to get the affected people out of harm’s way. With no two storms alike, no two evacuation scenarios will be the same either.

Also at play is a desire to not “over-warn”. Unnecessary evacuations not only cost money, but they will also make residents see these exercises as “crying wolf”, and people may be less likely to pay attention to such orders in the future…a decision that could have deadly consequences.

Finally, there’s an issue with services. Loss of power or closed roads for any length of time may make an area virtually unlivable for most people, with no available food, water, or energy. Authorities have a reluctance to let people into these areas when there are no services there…this is an issue they had to deal with in Louisiana this week.

Combine this fine line with anyone’s general reluctance to leave their property unless absolutely necessary…and even then some folks will want to stay…and you have a situation in which people are going to be unhappy about how things are being handled.

Earlier this week, I found it a little disconcerting that reporters were asking officials in Louisiana whether or not they overreacted with evacuations. There is no way of knowing how many people would have been exposed to flooding and flying debris from winds had they stayed behind…certainly the toll in terms of deaths and injuries would have been much higher than what we saw with the evacuations in place. And with the track record of the levee system in New Orleans, it made much more sense to clear everyone out than to risk seeing 2005 all over again. We may never know how close some of those levees may have been to begin breached again; if you saw any of the video of waves lapping over the top of those levees, you can’t help but think what even a slight water rise might have done.

Living in “hurricane country”, many of you probably have interests along the coast…whether you have family or friends there, property of your own, or simply vacation plans. It’s entirely possible you may have first-hand experience with a coastal evacuation…or that you will in the future. Remember that safety concerns come first, and as aggravating and inconveniencing as these measures may be, the alternative could be a lot worse.