Evacuation Planners better head back to the drawing board

[SoCalDem]

It seems to me that with the HUGE cities of today, just about ANY evacuation plan is just that... a PLAN..

Families with means who head out in caravans of cars that need gas and services for a long evacuation journey, can end up creating a bigger nightmare by trying to evacuate..

Most cities at rush hour (24/7 in Southern Calif) show permanent gridlock ON A GOOD DAY...mix panic, anxiety, fragile elderly,and a ticking timeclock waiting for a storm, and it's just vehicular mayhem..

How many people were loathe to leave all but ONE vehicle behind?? Families with 3 or 4 cars, all heading out in a short order are putting extra stress on gas stations, and the numbers of cars on the roads..

If a mandatory evac is ordered, it should be by bud only./. If the goal is to save lives, then buses taking people out is the smart way..

What we see with individual families caravanning 3 or 4 cars loaded with "stuff"...is people saving "stuff"...


There should be a definite cut-off time for individual evacuations, and after THAT time, it's by bus..with what you can carry..


These folks who are left at the end of the line, are in for real trouble when the storm really gets there.. They have left "possible shelter"..for NO shelter:(

[Mika]

1. What? Give up their personal space and personal stuff?

What are ya.. some kinda socialist? ;)

:hi:

[The Magistrate]

2. The Unfortunate Fact Is, Sir

No movement of hundreds of thousands, or of even tens of thousands, of people, can possibly be conducted in an ad hoc and impromptu manner without dangerous degrees of chaos and inefficiency. Such things can only be conducted efficiently and effectively in the manner an army moves its corps and divisions. Supplies must be stockpiled in advance at distribution points; rigorous traffic control must be exercised; transport must be provided that minimizes the number of vehicles employed. Everyone piling into their automobiles and heading off in one direction is a recepie for disaster....

"I don't undertstand: we told them to evacuate and all they did was sit in their cars and honk at each other."

[SoCalDem]

3. Not a "sir"...and yes evac plans are almost impossible to DO

They are part of the "plan" that all governments must have, but in FACT, they rarely work..

The stockpiling and preparedness required is not likely to happen in these days of "hand-to-mouth" existence:(

[ikri]

4. Perhaps it would be wise to ask China

Since they are apparently capable of moving a few hundred thousand people out of the path of a hurricane.

Of course, all they'd probably advise is to use the railway system since it is the most efficient way to move a large number of people quickly and without getting into any traffic jams.

But that would require a fast and efficient railway network.

[Benhurst]

6. Asking China for advice would serve no purpose. They don't

have the respect for human life we do.

:sarcasm:

[SammyWinstonJack]

7. Or Cuba, they are excellent at getting people and their pets evacuated

to higher ground.

[ikri]

8. I was going to suggest Cuba

But the idea of the US asking Cuba for advice had me in fits of laughter

[Benhurst]

10. Those godless communists?

:sarcasm:

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. Yes indeed! LOL! Plans to keep people safe should transcend

ideologies imho.

[SoCalDem]

9. Exactly.. all we're talking about really is geting to high enough

ground and with some shelter...just to ride out the storm.. It may not even be necessary to "go to Dallas" or "Go to San Antonio" or Go to Oklahoma".

we are obsessed with "Going to".. what's prudent is "getting to high-enough" ground..and having water, food and shelter "there"..

Once the storm is passed, phase II could begin..and with a lot less drama.. For people whose homes are relatively intact, they could be taken back, and for people whose homes were trashed..well they would be dispatched to a longer-term evacuation..

There is just a "mad-dash" tendency that is not very productive the way we try it:shrug:

[meisje]

5. Evac by "Bud" Dude!... I evac everyday!!!

A mental evacuation... whoaaa!