Poll: Many Coastal Residents Would Ignore Evacuation Orders

MIAMI - About one in three people living in Southern coastal areas said they would ignore hurricane evacuation orders if a storm threatened their community, up from about one in four last year, a poll released Tuesday shows.

The survey found the most common reasons for not evacuating were the same ones that topped last year's Harvard University poll: People believe that their homes are safe and well-built, that roads would be too crowded and that fleeing would be dangerous. Slightly more than one in four also said they would be reluctant to leave behind a pet.

www.casperstartribune.net



[edit on 24-7-2007 by jsobecky]

How quickly people forget the past. Just because last year was a mild season, they think they are safe.

What's also disturbung is that six in ten NOLA residents don't know where an evacuation shelter is.

www.casperstartribune.net
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by jsobecky
Slightly more than one in four also said they would be reluctant to leave behind a pet.
[edit on 24-7-2007 by jsobecky]

That's the statement that bothers me. Only one in four relunctant to leave behind a pet? Um... ALL of them should be reluctant to leave a pet.

So in my opinion, there you have a stupid population in the coastal areas and another method of population reduction... let them stay at home in a hurricane and get washed out to sea.

I happen to live in Florida and less than 2 miles from the beach. If there was an evacuation order in my area, I would leave. And my pets would be with me.

Originally posted by jsobecky




What's also disturbung is that six in ten NOLA residents don't know where an evacuation shelter is.

Heres the info for my local area

"There are no hurricane shelters in Miami Beach or
the coastal communities. The American Red Cross in
coordination with other agencies operate shelters for
evacuees at mainland schools and other facilities as
deemed necessary during an evacuation.

The locations are not pre-determined.

A list of shelters will be made
available through the Miami-Dade County Emergency
Operation Center as soon as they become available.
The shelters are not intended to be temporary housing.
After a disaster, assessments will be made with local
emergency managers as to continued and other shelter
needs."

So, you don't know where to go until the storm approcahes. You would think that its the same places each time but thats not so.

Long Island is doomed should another hurricane hit us bad. The last bad one was in 1938 when Long Island was still a very rural area, today the combined population of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is close to 5,000,000 and it would be practically impossible to evacuate us.

The LIE is bad enough on a "normal" day, imagine how bad and chaotic it would be if a Category 4 Hurricane was bearing down on us?

Originally posted by jsobecky

What's also disturbung is that six in ten NOLA residents don't know where an evacuation shelter is.

Ignorance is no excuse.

first they should find out were they are, no wait, on second thought perhaps their mayor should plaster the routes/locations all over town to avoid disaster, although I doubt he has the brains to do that. Hell last time he claimed to have bus plans for evacuation that proved useless, if they really existed that is

[edit on 7/24/2007 by shots]

First off these polls are not accurate... they cannot be accurate. The reason many people say they would not evacuate is because they see the disaster as an intangible. It's an intangible until it's tangible i.e the evacuation announcement. In other words, lets take this poll again, after the evacuation is announced

That said, their concerns were some what legitimate. The roads would be crowded and unsafe. Too bad these people simply gave up with that fact instead of researching ideal off road routes and 'bug out' spots.


[edit on 24-7-2007 by Cloak and Dagger]

Originally posted by jsobecky
www.casperstartribune.net
(visit the link for the full news article)

No shelters are by the Red Cross are going to be south of I-12, so to a degree, I'd think that no one would know where a shelter would be in New Orleans, because especially after last time, I doubt there will be one.

Also, as far as I know, in any outlying area of metro New Orleans, the shelters are not predetermined until they know exactly what's coming.

The best bet for anyone that chooses to ride out a storm is to count on their own home as their shelter, if they insist to stay, and be adequately prepared. That way, in the aftermath, there is no "bring us water," there is only "drain the water!"

As for our mayor, well, I don't know what to say about him, except that when it comes to looking up to leadership if such a time would pass again, I won't be looking at him for leadership.

Survival of the fittest?

If they don't know any better by now, I say let 'em.
How's it go.. forewarned just to be forearmed?

I don't understand the mentality of those who want to stay back and
protect their property, just to drown.. covered in a heap of their property.
The hassle of crowded roads and evacuation routes are much more
welcomed over the awesome power of mother nature.

Pack what you need and leave town. Your life has value.

Originally posted by aecreate
I don't understand the mentality of those who want to stay back and
protect their property, just to drown.. covered in a heap of their property.
.

One has to keep in mind that many of those making these claims have lived thru previous storms and had their house's rebuilt to newer and higher standards. What once might have only with stood a cat 2/3 now have the potential ability to with stand a cat 4 or higher (possibly) I am not saying for sure or not just using it as an example hence people feel more secure staying right were they are. I am not saying that is what I would do because I am not sure, just a guess on my part is all as to their reasoning is all.