Evacuating from Hurricane Milton: What the Whole Community Can Do
Evacuation is a whole community effort that everyone needs to play a role in.
Currently, almost 6 million Floridians are under mandatory evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Milton. Some are following these messages, packing their cars, and getting to safety. Others are ignoring these messages and preparing to ride out what may be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States in decades.
To an outside observer, it may appear foolish to not follow these orders. However, as our recent research on disaster communication shows, people often have very good reasons for remaining. Improving evacuation response involves crafting the right message, using appropriate delivery channels, and reducing barriers that make evacuation difficult.
Mandatory evacuation orders are issued when disasters have potentially life-threatening impacts. Disaster after disaster, orders resulted in evacuations that have saved untold lives. Milton is rapidly intensifying and expected to be one of the largest hurricanes on record when it hits the United States. Staying in place could have severe, life-threatening consequences.
Improving evacuation response involves crafting the right message, using appropriate delivery channels, and reducing barriers that make evacuation difficult.
But orders can be complex, in the wrong language, or communicated using the wrong channels. Others might not trust the messenger — particularly communities that have historically been marginalized in society. Many may be unable to evacuate because of difficulties in transportation, costs of evacuating, packing challenges, problems finding support for pets, or concerns about leaving behind their belongings or staying in an evacuation shelter.
This makes evacuation a “whole community” effort that everyone needs to play a role in. Some of these actions may be longer-term, but as Milton arrives, there are steps individuals, households, government agencies, and civil society can take now.
People under an evacuation order should take care of themselves, and if possible, support their neighbors in evacuating. They should:
- Follow government sources to stay up to date on evacuation orders. Government evacuation orders are the ones that you should follow. In Florida, the Florida Division of Emergency Management is communicating evacuation orders on its website, floridadisaster.org/evacuation-orders.
- Follow an evacuation plan and guidelines. Evacuation orders are specific. They include time period for evacuation, locations, and possible destinations for evacuees.
- Prepare to be away for days to weeks. Prepare for at least a week away, including important medications, clothes and hygiene/grooming items, identification and documentation, sleeping items, entertainment, and small family heirlooms.
- Check in with your neighbors to share messages and, if necessary, help them evacuate. Make sure your neighbors know that they should be getting out. If they are on the fence and considering staying, talk with them to convince them — they might trust you more than the authorities issuing the evacuation alert. If they are struggling to evacuate, try and help them: This can include helping them pack and offering them transportation or simply calling the local department of emergency management to request assistance.
People who know someone under evacuation order should check in to make sure they are evacuating and provide support for evacuees. They should:
- Communicate with friends, families, and neighbors on the importance of evacuating.
- Share official evacuation information and correct misinformation.
- Provide support to people you know who are evacuating. This might be material support in the form of donations, a place to stay, or food. But also important is emotional support — solidarity, empathy, and comfort for what will be a very difficult time period.
Government officials issuing orders have an obligation to provide clear and appropriate evacuation orders and reduce barriers inhibiting evacuating.
Government officials issuing orders have an obligation to provide clear and appropriate evacuation orders and reduce barriers inhibiting evacuating. They should:
- Issue orders using appropriate communication channels, including the right language and through many different media.
- Keep messages simple and easy to understand, letting evacuees know why they should evacuate, where they should go, what they should bring, and the consequences of staying.
- Provide transportation, shelter, and necessary food, lodging, and sleeping arrangements as needed, either directly or in the form of cash.
- Work with civil society and supporting organizations to enhance the delivery of evacuation orders and reduce confusion around evacuation orders.
Civil society supporting affected communities can elevate the messages of government agencies and provide support to individuals and households directly. They should:
- Help spread official evacuation orders and communication by sharing official sources online and in person to affected populations.
- If you are a service provider, check in with service users who might be facing difficulty evacuating (whether unable or unwilling), and offer words of encouragement and support.
- As the evacuation unfolds, offer material and emotional support to people under evacuation. Comfort will be particularly important during this stressful time. Money might be the most useful material resource.
- If you are a funder, provide no-strings-attached direct funding to local civil society already working with your target communities in your interested geographic areas.
This originally appeared on rand.org on October 9, 2024.
