EVACUATION AND RE-ENTRY PLANNING COURSE

Transcription

1 G358 Student Manual EVACUATION AND RE-ENTRY PLANNING COURSE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Federal Emergency Management Agency January 2006

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3 CONTENTS Page Foreword...1 Course Goal...1 Course Objectives...1 References...2 Units of Instruction Unit One Why Evacuate? Unit Two Who Is At Risk? Unit Three Community Behavior in Evacuation Unit Four Evacuation Requirements Unit Five Evacuation Communications Unit Six Re-Entry Unit Seven Course Conclusion APPENDIX A Evacuation Studies... A-1 APPENDIX B Evacuation Behavior Studies... B-1 1/06

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5 FOREWORD The range of natural and technological hazards from which communities may be at risk varies greatly around the United States. Community emergency management programs are intended to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies created by those hazards. One of the steps that communities must be prepared to take in an emergency is evacuation of its population on short notice. The Federal Emergency Management Agency s (FEMA s) Emergency Management Institute (EMI) develops and conducts training on a wide range of emergency management topics. Evacuation and re-entry planning are addressed in a number of hazard-specific training activities for emergency managers. However, there was no training available from FEMA that provides the opportunity to focus on the principles and methods of evacuation and re-entry planning and operations. This course was developed in response to field requests for such training. This course does not address the process for deciding when evacuation is warranted or when the evacuated area is safe for re-entry. Those issues are dealt with in other FEMA courses for specific hazards, such as Hurricane Planning and Radiological Accident Assessment. COURSE GOAL The goal of this course is to provide the participants with knowledge and skills needed to design and implement an evacuation and Re-Entry Plan for their respective jurisdictions. COURSE OBJECTIVES After successfully completing this course, participants will be able to do the following: 1. Describe the reasons for conducting pre-disaster evacuation and re-entry planning, exercising and community education. 2. Refer to the community s existing vulnerability analysis to identify hazards that may require evacuation, the amount of warning time expected, and the populations that will be affected by an evacuation. 3. Describe factors that affect how people react to evacuation orders, when people leave after an evacuation order, where people seek shelter, and modes of evacuee transportation. 4. Determine the requirements needed to complete an evacuation, including but not limited to laws, transportation, shelter/reception centers, perimeter control and an accountability system. 5. Describe how to communicate with the public before, during and after an evacuation. 6. Develop a plan for returning evacuees to their homes. 7. Develop a strategy for designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining an evacuation plan. 1/06 1

6 REFERENCES The following publications were used in the development of this course and may serve as useful references for participants 1. Dow, Kirstin, and Cutter, Susan, Repeat Response to Hurricane Evacuation Orders, Quick Response Research Program of the National Science Foundation administered by the Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center. 2. Dow, Kirstin, and Cutter, Susan, South Carolina s Response to Hurricane Floyd, Quick Response Research Program of the National Science Foundation administered by the Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, September Drabek, Tom, Disaster Evacuation and the Tourist Industry, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Drabek, Tom, Disaster Evacuation Behavior: Tourists and Other Transients, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Drabek, Tom, Disaster-Induced Employee Evacuation, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Drummond, Tammerlin, Under the Volcano, Time Magazine, September 1, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Animals in Disaster, Module A (IS-10) and Module B (IS-11), EMI Independent Study Office. 8. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Planning Tools, TB 235, January Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning, SLG-101, September Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Planning for the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, G360, April Federal Emergency Management Agency, Learning from Hurricane Hugo: Implications for Public Policy, June Jensen, Peter R., Evacuation Planning and Response Workshop Student Manual, O Brien, Paul W. and Payne, James, Public Response to the 1997 Northern California Floods, Quick Response Research Program of the National Science Foundation administered by the Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center. 14. Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County Re-Entry Plan, September Perry, R.W., Evacuation Warning Compliance Among Elderly Citizens, Disaster Management, Volume 3, Number 2, Whyte, Anne, Survey of Households Evacuated during Mississagua Chlorine Gas Emergency November 10-16, 1979, Toronto: Emergency Planning Project, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Toronto, Virginia Office of Emergency Services Web page. 1/06 2

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8 EVACUATION AND RE- ENTRY PLANNING COURSE UNIT ONE Student M anual WHY EVACUATE? OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this unit, you will be able to do the following: 1. Describe types of situations that necessitate evacuation. 2. Describe the rationale for this training, the course objectives, and the course schedule. 3. Discuss expectations of the instructors and the learners for this training activity. REFERENCES The following sources will provide information used in this unit: Course Agenda Course Student Manual 1/06 1-1

9 Why An Evacuation and Re-Entry Plan? Evacuation and re-entry are important emergency management functions that require a plan and emergency personnel who are familiar with that plan. The term evacuation will be used in this course to mean the movement of people to a safe area, from an area believed to be at risk, when emergency situations necessitate such action. Re-entry refers to the return of persons to the evacuated area. TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY In your jurisdiction, what emergency situations might necessitate evacuation? On the worksheet, list the hazards that threaten your community and are likely to require an emergency evacuation. After listing the hazards, prioritize them in order of most likely to occur. In the appropriate column, estimate the likely warning time for the onset of the hazard event. Hazards That Threaten Your Community Priority Likely Warning Time 1/06 1-2

10 Course Objectives This Evacuation and Re-Entry Planning Course was developed to enable local emergency management personnel to create or improve local evacuation and reentry plans. The decision to evacuate is the responsibility of the local elected official. This course will focus on planning the operational aspects of evacuation and reentry, not the process for deciding when to issue the evacuation order. This course considers shelter destinations as a component of evacuation planning, but does not intend to be a shelter operations course. After successfully completing this course, class participants will be able to do the following: Describe the reasons for conducting pre-disaster evacuation and re-entry planning, exercising and community education. Refer to the community s existing vulnerability analysis to identify hazards that may require evacuation, the amount of warning time expected, and the populations that will be affected by an evacuation. Describe factors that affect how people react to evacuation orders, when people leave after an evacuation order, where people seek shelter, and modes of evacuee transportation. Determine the requirements needed to complete an evacuation, including but not limited to laws, transportation, shelter/reception centers, perimeter control and an accountability system. Describe how to communicate with the public before, during and after an evacuation. Develop a plan for returning evacuees to their homes. Develop a strategy for designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining an evacuation plan. 1/06 1-3

11 Course Overview Unit One Why Evacuate? The need for evacuation and re-entry planning is established in this unit. Unit Two Who Is At Risk? Unit Two provides guidelines for identifying risk area populations that may require evacuation, including special populations and domestic animals. Participants will take a look at their own vulnerability analysis and census data. Unit Three Community Behavior in Evacuation This unit describes typical evacuation behavior and includes discussion about the implications of that behavior on participants evacuation operations and planning. Unit Four Evacuation Requirements Unit Four describes the components of an evacuation operation and the resulting legal and logistical requirements that must be in place to successfully carry out such an operation. Participants will review existing plans and procedures to evaluate the consideration of evacuation requirements. Unit Five Evacuation Communications Unit Five covers the communication requirements that must be fulfilled to ensure a successful evacuation operation and the planning implications represented by those requirements. Unit Six Re-Entry Unit Six describes the factors that affect re-entry into the evacuated area, and the requirements for developing a plan to return evacuees to their homes. Participants will determine whether their evacuation plan considers re-entry actions. 1/06 1-4

12 Course Overview (Continued) Unit Seven Course Conclusion In Unit Seven, participants are referred to a job aid consisting of a checklist for identifying what steps their jurisdiction needs to take in their evacuation and re-entry planning efforts. Participants also will complete a written test consisting of multiple choice and true-false questions to evaluate achievement of cognitive learning objectives. Answers to the test will be reviewed in class. Participants also will have the opportunity to evaluate the course content and materials. Instructor Expectations For a worthwhile and enjoyable learning experience to occur, the instructors have the following expectations of the participants. Please Do Ask a question when you have one. Feel free to share an illustration. Request an example if a point is not clear. Search for ways in which you can apply a principle or idea in your work. Please Don t Assume that all topics covered will be equally relevant to your needs. You may have more expertise in some areas than other participants. 1/06 1-5

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14 EVACUATION AND RE- ENTRY PLANNING COURSE UNIT TWO Student Manual WHO IS AT RISK? OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this unit, you will be able to do the following: 1. For a known hazard, determine the area at risk. 2. Identify the population that may need to evacuate. 3. Describe groups that are considered special populations. 4. Identify special populations at risk for a known hazard. REFERENCES The following sources will provide information used in this unit: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Planning Tools, TB 235, January Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning, SLG- 101, September Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Planning for the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, G360, April /06 2-1

15 Identifying Risk Areas Unit One included a discussion about the hazards that threaten your jurisdiction, and specifically the hazards that could require an evacuation of some portion of the population. This unit focuses on the identification of the population that must relocate out of the risk area in the event of a hazard event or the threat of a hazard event. Once the need for evacuation planning is acknowledged, the goals for evacuation must be identified. An evacuation plan must identify who is at risk for any or all of these hazards in order to develop contingencies for moving risk population to safety when necessary. The first step in identifying populations at risk is to identify the risk area. Vulnerability Analysis Most jurisdictions have completed a vulnerability analysis that identifies areas at risk for specific hazards and the magnitudes of the effects in those areas. This vulnerability analysis is generally included in the community s Emergency Operations Plan. Particularly in areas at risk for potentially catastrophic disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, the vulnerability analysis is completed in a systematic and scientific manner. Mathematical Models Planners may use mathematical models that provide information about which areas of a community will be affected and where evacuation plans are needed. A computer model called Hazards, United States (HAZUS) provides information on expected damages and injuries by sector for earthquakes of varying magnitudes. Another computer model called Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) provides information on hurricane storm surge by geographic sector. National Flood Insurance Maps identify flood hazard areas. 1/06 2-2

16 Identifying Risk Areas (Continued) With this type of information the planner can designate areas that must be evacuated in any threat, and those that may sustain moderate damage that would not necessitate a full evacuation. For example a hurricane evacuation plan may identify those areas that would be evacuated in a Category 1 or 2 hurricane (Saffir-Simpson Scale), and the additional evacuation areas in a Category 3 or 4 hurricane. It is very important that the vulnerability analysis be reviewed frequently and updated as needed. DISCUSSION QUESTION What could necessitate a revision of the vulnerability analysis? TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS REVIEW Review the vulnerability analysis brought from your jurisdiction, and answer the following questions. Does it reflect the current community profile? Have there been changes such as those listed above? Note any hazard risks that have been created since the analysis was initially completed or most recently revised. 1/06 2-3

17 Identifying Populations At Risk Vulnerability analysis is the first step toward determining the people at risk and making plans to ensure that they are removed from harm s way in the event of a hazard event. This step has been accomplished in most communities and the information is included in the Emergency Operations Plan. In planning for evacuation the information on risk area population must be specific and current. Consider where people live, work, play and worship. DISCUSSION QUESTION What current source materials would you use to ensure that the risk area population has been accurately defined? 1/06 2-4

18 Identifying Populations At Risk (Continued) Special Populations One of the most important aspects of evacuation and reentry planning is identifying the special needs populations that require particular attention in an evacuation. These groups include: Children in school and in daycare centers Nursing home residents Hearing impaired people, sight-impaired people, mentally impaired people, mobility-impaired people Non-English speaking people Hospital patients Mental health institution patients Incarcerated persons in jails, juvenile facilities and drug treatment centers Business travelers and tourists Seasonal workers Homeless people People without transportation, including latch-key kids (children home alone) DISCUSSION QUESTION Are there other groups that should be added to this list? 1/06 2-5

19 Identifying Populations At Risk (Continued) Who Is Responsible? Evacuation planners must consider all special population groups. Some of these groups are overseen by organizations that are responsible for their own emergency planning. Organizations that are responsible for evacuation of their own populations include the following: Schools and daycare centers Nursing homes Hospitals and hospices Mental health institutions Jails, juvenile facilities and drug treatment centers. Emergency management evacuation planners need to identify the appropriate contacts within these organizations and establish working relationships to enhance planning and operational cooperation. Other special population groups may or may not be organized or protected and need special planning consideration by the emergency management agency. Hearing impaired people, sight-impaired people, mentally impaired people, and mobility-impaired people Non-English speaking people Seasonal workers Homeless people Tourists and business travelers People without transportation 1/06 2-6

20 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY SPECIAL POPULATIONS This table group activity will familiarize you with the special needs populations for which emergency management must develop evacuation plans. Each table group should answer the two questions listed on the following page for all of the special population groups that are found in their jurisdictions. Use the following activity worksheets to take notes. Spend about 15 minutes on the discussion. 1/06 2-7

21 SPECIAL POPULATIONS: TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY TABLE GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What factors make these groups special populations? How can the factors be addressed to ensure that these groups can be evacuated safely when necessary? SPECIAL POPULATION GROUPS Hearing Impaired People, Sight-Impaired People, Mentally Impaired People, Mobility- Impaired People Non-English Speaking People Seasonal Workers 1/06 2-8

22 SPECIAL POPULATIONS: TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY (Continued) Homeless People Tourists and business travelers People Without Transportation 1/06 2-9

23 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY IDENTIFYING RISK AREA POPULATIONS Refer to the source material you brought with you for identifying risk area populations. As a group, select one hazard risk area in your jurisdiction that could require evacuation. Using the activity worksheet on the following page, list the special populations found in that risk area. While it is not possible to thoroughly review all of the data, this exercise will serve as the beginning of a more thorough search to be completed at home. 1/

24 IDENTIFYING RISK AREA POPULATIONS: TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY Select one hazard risk area in your jurisdiction that could require evacuation: List the special populations found in that risk area: 1/

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26 EVACUATION AND RE- ENTRY PLANNING COURSE UNIT THREE Student Manual COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR IN EVACUATION OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of the unit you should be able to discuss social factors that affect the following evacuation and reentry issues: 1. How long it typically takes to warn a community. 2. When people leave a community after a warning is issued. 3. Where people seek shelter after a warning is issued. 4. Evacuation behavior of owners of domestic animals at risk. 5. Modes of transportation used by evacuees. 6. Probability of looting behavior during disaster. REFERENCES The following sources will provide information used in this unit: Dow, Kirstin, and Cutter, Susan L., Repeat Response to Hurricane Evacuation Orders, Quick Response Report #101, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Drabek, Tom, Disaster Evacuation Behavior: Tourists and Other Transients, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Drabek, Tom, Disaster-Induced Employee Evacuation, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, /06 3-1

27 REFERENCES (Continued) Federal Emergency Management Agency, Animals in Disaster, Module A (IS-10) and Module B (IS-11), EMI Independent Study Office. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Social Dimensions of Disaster, Instructor Guide. Perry, R.W., Evacuation Compliance Among Elderly Citizens, Disaster Management Volume 3 Number 2, Whyte, Anne, Survey of Households Evacuated during Mississagua Chlorine Gas Emergency November 10-16, 1979, Toronto: Emergency Planning Project, Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Toronto, /06 3-2

28 Introduction Warning Behavior Effective planning for evacuation and re-entry requires some knowledge of how people are likely to behave when they: Perceive that an evacuation order is likely. Receive an evacuation order. Are involved in an evacuation. Wish to re-enter the evacuated area. Receive permission to re-enter the evacuated area. Research has shown that emergency managers and other officials responsible for evacuation and re-entry believe myths about evacuation and shelter behavior. Emergency managers must base evacuation and Re-Entry Plans on fact, not myth. Unit Three describes how various groups have behaved during actual evacuation operations. What kind of behavior should emergency planners expect from risk area populations that are warned to evacuate? Research has shown that this is a difficult question to answer, because each risk population is different, and the circumstances of every evacuation are different. However there are some trends that have been consistent enough in the research to be useful in your evacuation and re-entry planning efforts. What Factors Influence When People Evacuate? Amount of warning time (disaster type) Low warning rates (as low as 30%) occurred in incidents of flash flooding such as the 1976 Buffalo Creek West Virginia Flood and the 1976 flash flood in Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado. With 3-4 hours, 90 to 100 percent of the population can be warned without highly specialized warning systems. Population being warned Residents know where to find warning information and what sources they trust. Transients are less likely to watch or listen to the local media. Tourists and business travelers often gather information from lodging employees and temporary 1/06 3-3

29 Warning Behavior (Continued) neighbors. Elderly residents react to evacuation warning about the same as the general population, or more conservatively. If elderly people have suffered a similar disaster previously, they are even more likely to evacuate when warned. Sense of urgency Individuals consider home construction and location, family safety and needs, and data from the Weather Channel on storm tracks, storm strength and probabilities. Decisions to evacuate are determined by perceived risk as defined by the factors listed above, rather than on the experience in the last evacuation. People evacuate when they believe it is dangerous to stay. In 1979, a chlorine gas leak in Mississagua, Ontario, created the need to evacuate approximately 40,000 households. Approximately 90 percent of the first group of evacuees from Mississagua left in the first 60 minutes 60 percent of that group left within the first 10 minutes. TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY EVACUATION WARNING As a group, develop and record answers to the questions regarding evacuation warning in your jurisdiction. What are the main sources of evacuation warning information in your jurisdiction? Do the government agencies and media identified in the warning plan know their roles and responsibilities in evacuation warning? 1/06 3-4

30 Warning Behavior (Continued) TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY QUESTIONS If tourists or transients may be involved, what method of warning will be used? Do the managers of hotels, resorts and other tourist attractions know their role in evacuation warning? Do the agencies responsible for warning homeless people and migrant workers know their responsibilities? 1/06 3-5

31 Evacuation Destinations and Transportation What Factors Influence Where Evacuees Go? Population characteristics In a study that looked at 24 disasters, between 6 and 36 percent of residents went to public shelter. Most sought shelter in the homes of friends and relatives. Among migrant workers, 22 percent went to public shelter, 41 percent went to homes of nearby relatives, and 12 percent went to stay with friends out of the area. Approximately 29 percent of the homeless moved into makeshift protected locations such as under bridges and about 49 percent went to public shelter. Most (45 percent) of business travelers relocated to a safer area within their lodging establishments. Approximately 11 percent of business travelers went to public shelter and another 11 percent went home. The remainder moved to another commercial lodging location. Length of forewarning If the length of forewarning is short, the options for shelter are reduced, sending more people to public shelter. Anticipated length of evacuation If the evacuation is estimated to be short (one or two days), evacuees are more likely to stay with friends or relatives. For longer periods, evacuees are more likely to seek other options for their families, including public shelter and short-term rental. Community preparedness When community preparedness is high, public shelters are more likely to be used because the shelters will be better equipped and more appealing to evacuees. Information is likely to be more readily available so that more people are informed about availability and location of public shelters. Urbanization Larger communities provide more options for shelter, therefore fewer evacuees will go to public shelter. Socioeconomic level Poorer families are more likely to utilize public shelters because their options may be limited by lack of transportation and lack of financial resources. 1/06 3-6

32 Evacuation Destinations and Transportation (Continued) How Do Evacuees Get to Their Destination? Most residents of the risk area use their own vehicles when they evacuate. Official transportation is the second most likely form of evacuation transportation for residents. Tourists and business travelers also used their own vehicles to evacuate. Rental cars were the second most frequent choice of evacuation transportation for tourists and business travelers. Disaster research has shown that the transportation aspect of evacuation tends to be controlled and rational. The rate of traffic accidents has not been shown to increase. During the summer of 1999, thousands were evacuated from the Gulf coast to avoid Hurricane Bret, and thousands more evacuated from Florida to Virginia to flee Hurricane Floyd. While evacuation routes became heavily congested, particularly in areas where flooding blocked important highways, traffic accidents were not a major problem. Some Floyd evacuees did choose to return home to take their chances with the weather rather than the traffic, but they did so in an orderly manner. (Transportation requirements will be discussed further in Unit Four.) 1/06 3-7

33 Evacuation Behavior of Owners of Domestic Animals FEMA s Independent Study Course, Animals in Disaster, includes some interesting information about the behavior of pet owners in emergency evacuations. If anyone is interested in this course, it has two modules, Awareness and Preparedness (Module A, IS-10), and Community Planning (Module B, IS-11). To contact the FEMA Independent Study Office, fax to (301) or to Independent.Study@FEMA.gov. FEMA s Animals in Disaster course describes the following incidents: After the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979 many misinformed owners left animals to stray, resulting in traffic accidents and overloading of humane shelters and veterinary practices. During the evacuation resulting from a large spill of white phosphorus and liquid sulphur in Dayton, Ohio, in 1984, pet owners attempting to rescue their pets created traffic jams by driving in opposite direction to the evacuating traffic. Following the Oakland, California, firestorm in 1991, hundreds of cats and dogs were never reunited with their owners because the owners could not be found. After Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida in 1992, many victims were distressed when they discovered they could not stay at public shelters if they brought pets with them. During Georgia floods in 1994 some pet owners refused to evacuate in a timely and safe manner because they could not take their pets with them. Others were prevented from attempting to rescue their pets from flooded houses using boats. DISCUSSION QUESTION What can be done to prevent the occurrence of similar events? 1/06 3-8

34 Crowd Behavior and Looting DISCUSSION QUESTION What is looting? Studies indicate that people considering evacuation fear looting in the evacuated area. Disaster research has not substantiated this expectation. In a review of over 300 field studies, the Disaster Research Center staff found very few verified cases of looting in disaster areas. Conversely, in civil disorders, looting is widespread. In the few cases where looting has occurred following a disaster event, it was inconsistent with the patterns of civil disturbance looting. In civil disturbances looters tend to work in pairs or small groups; in natural disasters looting has been carried out by individuals. In civil disturbances looting is very public; in natural disasters looting is covert and secret. The likelihood of looting is affected by three social factors: 1. In highly stratified society where there is a sense of powerlessness among the low socioeconomic population, the likelihood of looting after a disaster increases. 2. If theft occurs on a day-to-day basis, it is likely to continue after a disaster. 3. Looting is more likely to occur when there is a temporary loss of social control by legitimate authority. 1/06 3-9

35 Crowd Behavior and Looting (Continued) DISCUSSION QUESTION Do you know of any examples of looting during or after a disaster? 1/

36 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR IN EVACUATION This unit has provided the opportunity to discuss how people can be expected to behave during evacuation and re-entry operations. The remainder of this session will be devoted to reviewing existing emergency operations or evacuation plans and deciding if the assumptions about community behavior are consistent with the information presented in this unit. Take out your evacuation procedures or emergency response plans. Use the remainder of this session to work with your table group on answering the questions listed on the following pages. At the end of this activity, be prepared to briefly discuss if your plans or procedures are based on conceptions about community evacuation behavior that may be incorrect. 1/

37 COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR IN EVACUATION: TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY Do the hazards that threaten your community allow for enough warning to evacuate prior to the event? How many and what types of transients are in your community at any given time? (Consider tourists, business travelers, migrant workers and homeless people.) What are peak times for the transient population? How are they likely to receive evacuation warnings? How often have evacuation warnings been issued in your community over the past five years? How have residents and transients responded? Where are evacuees from your jurisdiction likely to go, given the estimated amount of warning and the other social factors that affect evacuation destination? 1/

38 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY (Continued) How are evacuees from your jurisdiction likely to get to evacuation destinations? What are the everyday law enforcement issues in your community? What law enforcement issues can be expected in your community during and after a natural or technological disaster? 1/

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40 EVACUATION AND RE- ENTRY PLANNING COURSE UNIT FOUR Student Manual EVACUATION REQUIREMENTS OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this unit, you will be able to do the following: 1. Identify the laws in their jurisdiction that authorize evacuation. 2. Describe transportation requirements for evacuation. 3. Describe shelter and reception center requirements. 4. List options for domestic animals at risk. 5. Describe perimeter control requirements. 6. Discuss accountability systems for monitoring the status of the evacuation operation. REFERENCES The following sources will provide information used in this unit: Drabek, Tom, Disaster Evacuation Behavior: Tourists and Other Transients, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning, SLG- 101, September Federal Emergency Management Agency, Animals in Disaster, Instructor Guide. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Planning for the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, G360, April Jensen, Peter R., Evacuation Planning and Response Workshop Student Manual, /06 4-1

41 Introduction The previous units have addressed the basis for assumptions that must be made in order to carry out evacuation planning. Unit Two identified risk areas and population at risk. Unit Three referred to several studies of human behavior during evacuations and helped participants to make some assumptions about what to expect from their populations in an incident requiring evacuation. This unit looks at the provisions that must be made to carry out a complete or partial evacuation from a jurisdiction. What will be needed to evacuate and re-enter a risk area in your jurisdiction? Authority to recommend or order evacuation Evacuation routes Transportation Shelter destination Means of controlling flow of evacuees out of and back into the risk area Provisions for evacuating special needs populations Means of informing the evacuees and the general public on evacuation activities and actions they should take Assembly areas for picking up people without private transportation Means of controlling access to the evacuated area Security for the evacuated area Provisions for return of evacuees to their homes 1/06 4-2

42 Authority for Evacuation DISCUSSION QUESTIONS State Laws The evacuation annex must identify the scope of authority for undertaking the movement of people from the risk area. To answer the following questions, refer to the law that governs evacuation in your State. Who has authority to recommend evacuation? Who has authority to order evacuation? What conditions differentiate between recommended or mandated evacuation? What are the limitations of authority related to recommended and ordered evacuation? Are life safety issues addressed differently for children and adults? 1/06 4-3

43 Authority for Evacuation (Continued) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Are life safety issues for special populations addressed? Are issues of financial responsibility for evacuation addressed? (e.g. busses, shelters, mutual aid efforts, overtime) Which agencies are responsible for implementing the evacuation? Local Ordinances This discussion will focus on the local ordinance that governs evacuation issues. Refer to your respective ordinances before answering the following questions. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Who has authority to recommend/order evacuation? What entity conducts evacuations? 1/06 4-4

44 Authority for Evacuation (Continued) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What entity bears financial responsibility for evacuations, including overtime pay for personnel? What happens if someone refuses to evacuate? Does your ordinance reflect State laws? When was the last time this local ordinance was updated? When was the last time the ordinance was reviewed by agency, city or county counsel for compliance with the most recent State code? If you don t know the answers to any of these questions, it is important that you find out before developing or updating the evacuation annex. 1/06 4-5

45 Transportation Requirements Unit Three referred to several studies of actual evacuation behavior in dozens of disaster evacuations. Recall from Unit Three that: The data indicates that most risk area residents use their own vehicles to evacuate. The second most frequent transportation is official transportation. Transients also use their own transportation or rental cars to evacuate. There are several questions that must be answered by planners. What are the evacuation routes? - Need special signs and markings - Coordinate with the State department of transportation Who has the authority to alter normal traffic flow? Do people know which routes to take? How will traffic be controlled? Do the responsible agencies know what s expected of them? Have they received any type of training? Have responsible agencies ever participated in an evacuation or an evacuation simulation? Do the responsible agencies have access to the equipment/resources needed to move the evacuation traffic along? Who will activate them? - All people supporting an evacuation should carry identification that indicates this role. Who will pay for time/equipment of responsible agencies? 1/06 4-6

46 Transportation Requirements (Continued) Consider the implications of all eventualities: Rush hour Toll roads/bridges - who is responsible for/authorized to suspend toll taking? Choke points Inbound emergency vehicle traffic - if inbound lanes have been converted to outbound, what alternatives are available? Alternate evacuation routes necessitated by unknown hazards Disabled vehicles Fender benders Special Needs Transportation All jurisdictions have special needs populations. These groups are likely to require transportation out of, and possibly back into, the risk area. Special needs populations are likely to have transportation requirements other than vehicles and drivers. - Hospitals and nursing homes - Consider the need for busses with wheelchair lifts, ambulances and ambulances with advanced life support capability. - Schools - Planning must include arrangements for family reunification. - Daycare centers - In addition to family reunification plans, infant seats and close supervision will be required. - Jails and prisons - Secure transportation and reception facilities must be arranged. - While tourists and business travelers tend to use their own or rented transportation, adequate rental cars may not be available in a large scale evacuation from a resort area. - It may be difficult to locate and inform seasonal workers and homeless people, and to estimate the scope of the transportation requirement for these groups. 1/06 4-7

47 Transportation Requirements (Continued) What modes of transportation will be used? What personnel will be assigned to transporting special populations? What will be the assembly areas for picking up special needs populations? A plan for advanced staging of special transportation is recommended. 1/06 4-8

48 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS Take about fifteen minutes to review your existing evacuation annex or procedure. Look for answers to the following questions in your annex or procedure. What are the evacuation routes? Who has the authority to alter normal traffic flow? Do people know which routes to take? How will traffic be controlled? Do the responsible agencies know what s expected of them? Have they received any type of training? 1/06 4-9

49 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY (Continued) TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS Have responsible agencies ever participated in an evacuation or an evacuation simulation? Do the responsible agencies have access to the equipment/resources needed to move the evacuation traffic along? Who will activate them? Who will pay for time/equipment of responsible agencies? Consider the implications of all eventualities: Rush hour Toll roads/bridges - who is responsible for/authorized to suspend toll taking? 1/

50 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY (Continued) TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS Choke points Inbound emergency vehicle traffic if inbound lanes have been converted to outbound, what alternatives are available? Alternate evacuation routes necessitated by unknown hazards Disabled vehicles Fender benders SPECIAL NEEDS TRANSPORTATION What are the evacuation transportation requirements of the following special needs populations? Hospitals and nursing homes 1/

51 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY (Continued) SPECIAL NEEDS TRANSPORTATION Schools Daycare centers Jails and prisons Transients (tourists, seasonal workers and homeless people) What modes of transportation will be used? What personnel will be assigned to transporting special populations? What will be the assembly areas for picking up special needs populations? 1/

52 Shelters and Reception Centers Where will the evacuees go? Will public shelters be available? How many will seek public shelter? As discussed in Unit Three, many factors determine how many people will evacuate and where they will seek shelter. If your jurisdiction has sustained an emergency evacuation previously, determine numbers from the American Red Cross or other organization that managed the shelter operation. If there have been no previous evacuations, refer to the methods for estimating risk area population discussed in Unit Three, and estimate the number of potential shelterees based on the evacuation data from other jurisdictions. Review the population of your risk area and identify groups that are likely to seek public shelter. Consider the type of hazard and whether the shelter stay is likely to be long or short. Consider the size and location of the hazard risk area to determine how many alternatives to public shelter exist. When an approximate number of shelterees has been estimated, consider the following questions: What agency or agencies are responsible for shelters? Do they know what is expected? Have they done it before? Are they trained? Do they have the necessary resources? How will the sheltering agencies be activated? Who pays for the time and equipment devoted to the sheltering effort? 1/

53 Shelters and Reception Centers (Continued) Special Needs Populations Another important consideration is the need for special sheltering arrangements. Populations with special requirements need to be evacuated to similar places. If there is a jail or prison in the evacuation area, where will the inmates be sent? Verify with the jail or prison administrator. If there is a hospital or other medical facility, where will the patients be sent? Verify with the hospital or facility administrator. Do these specially designated shelters know that they will be receiving these special populations? Verify with the day-to-day management team. 1/

54 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY SHELTERS AND RECEPTION CENTERS Take about fifteen minutes to review the shelter aspects of your existing evacuation annex or procedure. Look for answers to the following questions in your annex or procedure. What agency or agencies are responsible for shelters? Do they know what is expected? Have they done it before? Are they trained? Do they have the necessary resources? How will the sheltering agencies be activated? 1/

55 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY (Continued) SHELTERS AND RECEPTION CENTERS Who pays for the time and equipment devoted to the sheltering effort? SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS If there is a jail or prison in the evacuation area, where will the inmates be sent? If there is a hospital or other medical facility, where will the patients be sent? Do these specially designated shelters know that they will be receiving these special populations? 1/

56 Requirements for Domestic Animals at Risk Recalling from Unit Three the evacuation behavior of owners of domestic animals, what factors related to pets should be considered in an evacuation plan? Evacuation/transportation Temporary sheltering, feeding and watering Veterinary care Rescuing and capturing animals that have escaped confinement Issues related to large animals, such as farm animals and zoo animals, require additional considerations that should be dealt with in an Animal Care Annex. The importance of developing a policy for handling domestic animals cannot be overemphasized. Animals are not allowed in human shelters because of the risk of animal allergies and phobias, potential bites and scratches, along with food hygiene and other public health issues. With planning, arrangements may be made for animals to be sheltered with Friends Veterinarians Local animal control or humane shelter Local boarding and grooming kennels Local hotels and motels that accept pets 1/

57 Perimeter Control Requirements DISCUSSION QUESTION What are the reasons for security in the evacuated area? While looting behavior is not expected in most disaster or post-disaster situations, in certain situations it may occur. Planners need to analyze the socioeconomic and crime statistics for the risk area to determine any potential problems. The public must be assured that patrols are routinely monitoring the evacuated areas. Plan to maintain access points and establish policies for permitting traffic in and out. Plans must be flexible enough to allow for additional evacuations of people who initially refused, if they may be evacuated safely. People who remain in the evacuated area may be in extremely dangerous conditions. The evacuation plan should consider this possibility and state that emergency personnel will not be sacrificed in futile efforts to rescue evacuation hold-outs. 1/

58 TABLE GROUP ACTIVITY PERIMETER CONTROL REQUIREMENTS Take five minutes to read your existing plans or procedures to find out how security and perimeter control are addressed. Does the plan require that patrols routinely monitor the evacuated areas? Does the plan require access points and establish policies for permitting traffic in and out? Does the plan allow for additional, safe evacuations of people who initially refused evacuation? Does the plan state that emergency personnel will not be sacrificed in futile efforts to rescue evacuation hold-outs? 1/

59 Accountability Another important aspect of evacuation planning is keeping track of the status of evacuation events. What events, resources or information must be accounted for in an evacuation operation? Where and when evacuation warnings have been issued Number evacuated Number remaining in risk area Number of evacuees in shelters Names and locations of individuals evacuated from nursing homes, schools, hospitals and prisons/jails Who is responsible for collecting this information in your jurisdiction and how can it be collected? Data collection is an administrative function and should be assigned to an organization that specializes in administration and logistics. Consider using a large street map of the risk area. When data is reported from the field, indicate which homes have been evacuated or are empty, and which households have been warned but are not leaving. To whom does your annex or procedure assign responsibility for keeping track of the data described above, and how is it to be accomplished? When you return home, review the plan or SOP to ensure that this responsibility has been assigned. Find out if the person holding the job with this assigned task is aware of their responsibility. Evaluate the data collection and storage method described. 1/

60 Unit Summary This unit has explored the requirements associated with several of the most important components of an evacuation operation: The legal basis for evacuation The transportation requirements for evacuating the general public and the special needs population from the risk area The shelters that evacuated people may be forced to utilize The security and perimeter control of the evacuated area A system that keeps track of people, data and events Unit Five will focus on communicating evacuation and reentry information to evacuees, the general public, the emergency management community and the media. 1/

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62 EVACUATION AND RE- ENTRY PLANNING COURSE UNIT FIVE Student Manual EVACUATION COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this unit, you will be able to do the following: 1. Decide what information to convey to the public about evacuation. 2. Determine how to communicate evacuation information to the public to ensure that instructions will be understood and followed. 3. Determine when to release information about evacuation to the public. 4. Determine who is responsible for evacuation communication in their home jurisdiction. REFERENCES The following sources will provide information used in this unit: Drabek, Tom, Disaster Evacuation and the Tourist Industry, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Drabek, Tom, Disaster Evacuation Behavior: Tourists and Other Transients, Natural Hazards Research and Application Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Planning Tools, TB 235, January Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning, SLG- 101, September /06 5-1

63 REFERENCES (Continued) Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Planning for the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, G360, April Federal Emergency Management Agency, Learning from Hurricane Hugo: Implications for Public Policy, June Jensen, Peter R., Evacuation Planning and Response Workshop Student Manual, Virginia Office of Emergency Services Web page. 1/06 5-2

64 Introduction Communicating evacuation warning and disseminating essential evacuation information are critical components of the evacuation operation. Research has shown that response to evacuation warning and instructions vary from event to event and even among those affected by the same event. This unit reviews the influences that affect response to evacuation warnings and instructions, and determines what lessons can be applied to the communication component of the evacuation operation. This unit also will relate and solicit experiences that describe how evacuation information is successfully communicated. The evacuation and Re-Entry Plan or Annex must describe the means by which the local government will keep evacuees and the general public informed on evacuation activities and specific actions to take. Because the emergency operations plan generally will have functional annexes for warning and emergency public information (EPI), the evacuation annex or procedure may simply refer to annexes that are already established. However, to ensure that the existing warning and EPI capabilities can handle the requirements of an evacuation operation, it is important to review evacuation communication needs and compare to the components of those annexes. 1/06 5-3