Hurricane Evacuation Guide

Evacuation Begins Before the Order

Waiting until an evacuation order is issued can leave you competing with thousands of other people for fuel, hotel rooms, supplies, and road space.

Your plan should already answer:

• Where will you go?
• Which route will you take?
• What is your backup route?
• Who is traveling with you?
• What will you pack?
• How much fuel will you need?
• What conditions will trigger your decision to leave?

The goal is not to predict every detail.

The goal is to make the most important decisions before stress and uncertainty take over.

Decide When to Leave

Know your evacuation zone, understand local orders, and identify the conditions that would cause your household to leave early.

Evacuation Planning

Prepare Your Vehicle

Fuel your vehicle, complete basic maintenance, load emergency supplies, and make sure every driver is ready for a long trip.

Vehicle Readiness

Choose Your Routes

Plan a primary route and at least one backup route. Avoid relying on a single highway or navigation app.

Evacuation Routes

Plan Fuel, Food, and Shelter

Know where you may stop, what you will eat, and where you will stay if hotels and fuel stations become crowded.

Gas, Food & Shelter

Account for Special Needs

Include medications, medical equipment, mobility needs, children, older adults, and pets in every part of the plan.

Special Needs & Medical

Monitor Changing Conditions

Track official forecasts, road closures, evacuation orders, shelter availability, and local emergency updates.

Real-Time Maps & Alerts

Staying Is Not Always the Safer Choice

You should pay close attention to evacuation guidance when you are:

• In a storm-surge evacuation zone
• In a mobile or manufactured home
• In a flood-prone area
• In a structure that may not withstand forecast winds
• Dependent on electricity for medical equipment
• Unable to safely remain without air conditioning or water
• Responsible for someone who may need emergency medical care
• Directed to leave by local officials

Official evacuation orders should always be taken seriously.

Your personal plan may also call for leaving before an order is issued, especially when transportation, medical, family, or pet needs require more time.

The Best Evacuation Is Usually the One That Starts Before Traffic Peaks

Leaving early can mean:

• More available fuel
• More hotel options
• Lighter traffic
• Safer weather conditions
• Less stress on children and pets
• More time to adjust your destination

You do not always need to travel hundreds of miles.

Sometimes moving inland, leaving a flood zone, or staying with friends outside the projected impact area is enough.

The safest destination is the one that removes you from the expected hazard while remaining realistic for your household.

Plan A: Your Preferred Evacuation

Include:

• Preferred destination
• Primary route
• Planned fuel stops
• Lodging or family contact
• Estimated departure time
• Supplies loaded in advance

Plan B: Your Backup

Include:

• Alternate destination
• Secondary route
• Different fuel stops
• Shelter options
• Printed directions
• A plan if cell service is unavailable

A backup plan prevents one road closure, hotel cancellation, or forecast change from derailing the entire evacuation.

Your vehicle should contain the supplies needed to travel safely and remain self-sufficient if the trip takes longer than expected.

Bring:

• Bug out bags
• Water and travel food
• Prescription medications
• Identification and insurance documents
• Chargers and power banks
• Paper maps
• Flashlights
• First aid supplies
• Clothing and hygiene items
• Pet carriers, food, and records
• Comfort items for children
• Cash in small denominations

View the Evacuation Checklist

Stay Flexible

Conditions may change quickly.

During evacuation:

• Keep your fuel level as high as practical.
• Monitor official road and weather updates.
• Avoid flooded roads.
• Do not drive around barricades.
• Take breaks before fatigue becomes dangerous.
• Keep family members informed of your location.
• Conserve phone batteries.
• Be prepared to change routes or destinations.

Reaching safety matters more than following the original plan exactly.

Waiting Too Long

Traffic, fuel shortages, and worsening weather can remove your best options.

Depending on One Route

A crash, flood, or closure can make a single-route plan useless.

Leaving Without a Destination

Driving without confirmed lodging or a realistic shelter option creates additional stress.

Forgetting Medications and Documents

These can be difficult or impossible to replace during a regional emergency.

Packing Too Much

An overloaded vehicle is harder to organize, less fuel-efficient, and may block rear visibility.

Ignoring Pets and Special Needs

These needs require advance planning, not last-minute improvisation.

• Evacuation Planning
  Build your complete decision and departure plan.
• Vehicle Readiness
  Prepare your vehicle for traffic, heat, and extended travel.
• Evacuation Routes
  Plan primary and alternate routes before the storm.
• Gas, Food & Shelter
  Prepare for fuel shortages, long waits, and lodging changes.
• Special Needs & Medical
  Plan for medications, powered equipment, mobility, and assistance.
• Real-Time Maps & Alerts
  Monitor official forecasts, road conditions, and evacuation updates.

The time to decide where you will go, what you will take, and when you will leave is before a hurricane threatens your area.

Build your plan now. Review it with your household. Keep your vehicle ready. Then monitor conditions and act early when the time comes.