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Develop a family hurricane preparedness
plan before an actual storm threatens your area. If your family hurricane
preparedness plan includes evacuation to a safer location for any of the
reasons specified by emergency managers, then it is important to consider
the following points:
1. If ordered to evacuate, do not wait or delay your departure.
If possible, leave before local officials issue an evacuation order
for your area. Even a slight delay in starting your evacuation
will result in significantly longer travel times as traffic congestion
worsens.
2. Select an evacuation destination that is nearest to your
home, preferably in the same county, or at least minimize the distance
over which you must travel in order to reach your intended shelter
location.
3. If possible, make arrangements to stay with the friend
or relative who resides closest to your home and who will not have
to evacuate. Discuss with your intended host the details of your
family evacuation plan well before the beginning of the hurricane
season.
4. If a hotel or motel is your final intended destination
during an evacuation, make reservations before you leave.
5. Most hotel and motels will fill quickly once evacuations
begin. The longer you wait to make reservations, even if an official
evacuation order has not been issued for your area or county, the
less likely you are to find hotel/motel room vacancies, especially
along interstate highways and in major metropolitan areas.
6. If you are unable to stay with friends or family and no
hotels/motels rooms are available, then as a last resort go to
a shelter.
7. Remember, shelters are not designed for comfort
and do not usually accept pets. Bring your DISASTER SUPPLY
KIT (Click here for more details.) with you to the shelter.
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