How to Plan an Evacuation Route

Evaluate possible threats. Consider the area in which you live and investigate possible threats. People living along the Gulf Coast will need to consider hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes, where as people who live in California will need to consider wildfires and earthquakes. Identifying the possible threats will help you make better decisions when planning the evacuation plan.

Identify possible evacuation destinations. Taking into account the type of threats that you might encounter, identify several places that could serve as an evacuation destination. If you do ever have to evacuate, knowing where you are headed is just as important as the evacuation itself. Consider destinations that are in different areas and of varying distances. Since you don't know from which direction the threat will come, you need to have plans for several scenarios. Three to four destinations will serve this purpose.

Map evacuation routes. Using a map or the Internet, map out detailed directions to each destination. Be sure that you include both written instructions and a graphical map for each location. Plan alternate roads, detours and options in case of a traffic backup, blocked off streets or other obstacles that might occur on the primary route. Highlight your route on the map in yellow and all alternates routes in a difficult color to make the map easier to understand during an emergency.

Estimate gas needed in case of evacuation. For each route, measure the mileage and compute your estimated gas usage for the route. Be sure to take into consideration time spent sitting in traffic as well. Running out of gas during an evacuation is an all too common occurrence that is not easily rectified. For each route, use the Internet to identify gas station locations that could possibly be used during an emergency.

Identify destination accommodations. Friends and family are great places to investigate for possible evacuation destinations. If neither of these is possible, you will have to look into hotels, motels and other rentals. Again, looking for a motel while you're evacuating is not ideal. Everyone else who has decided to evacuate is also looking for a hotel and they will sell out quickly. Identify 3 to 4 lodging options in each evacuation destination and include contact information and directions as part of your evacuation plan. If you have this information, you can call ahead to make reservations before you leave.

Assemble your evacuation plan. Using a binder or notebook, assemble your information into a single location. Use tabs to separate the various routes, hotel information and other emergency information for easy access. This binder should be stored in a convenient location and updated regularly.