City Evacuation Plan

Let it begin.

We need specific instructions on how to evacuate a major city. The largest city in the US is New York. Im not from there but lets use that as a model.

Houston is the 4th largest city. I live there. We can use that as a backup model just because they just tried to do it and they are in the process of repopulating the city.

So, in detail, lets get some ideas.



Mod Edit: Title only.

[edit on 24-9-2005 by UM_Gazz]

Okay, I'll start.

I really don't think it is possible to safely evacuate major cities. Imagine any coastal city. You have fewer options as far as direction of flight.
Many of these cities seem to have one major road in and out. Not good for evacuating.
The regions around the evacuated area are not prepared for an influx of people and their belongings.

Perhaps a system of some sort where at-risk citizens are evacuated out first. Then the next ranked groups would leave.
There needs to be some organization, so that everyone is NOT leaving at the same moment.

I guess one thing we have to decide on is the type of disaster. The evacuation plan may be different depending on if its pre-disaster or post-disaster.

And is this a weather related situation with an extended warning window like a hurricane or is it an airplane flying into a builidng without any warning at all.

I do think its pointless to evacuate to an area that is just as much a danger zone as your original point.

Example; Your barely survive New Orleans. You evacuate to a relatives house in Houston. Then, they evacuate (with you) to a relative's house in Orange. DOH!

Look, if you want to get out of a hurricane zone, go to Denver or someplace in Alaska.

Regardless, the contra-flow plan (closing one direction of a highway so large numbers of people can evacuate out using all lanes) needs serious work.