Evacuating Large Urban Areas: Challenges for Emergency Management Policies and Concepts

Abstract

This article presents several policy observations regarding evacuation planning and disaster mitigation in large urban areas. After reviewing the research literature pertaining to disaster evacuations, the article provides background information about and lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Dean in 2007. The often-erroneous planning assumptions in emergency management are then explored along with a discussion about future policy and management implications. Three themes are identified in this research, including: 1) public officials must anticipate a much broader scope of issues when issuing evacuation requests, 2) they must do more to prepare for disasters than write "fantasy" emergency operations plans, and 3) they must adjust development activities that have a negative impact upon disaster mitigation.