The Processes Emergency Management Should Follow During an Emergency Evacuation

In times of crisis one of the most critical and often times lifesaving things emergency managers can do is evacuate the area affected by catastrophe. In order for an evacuation to be effective there are a number of processes and practices that should be followed, as well as a number of variables that must be considered in preparation for any evacuation. In this essay I will describe and analyze what processes emergency management should follow when conducting an emergency evacuation.

The most critical aspect of any evacuation is planning and preparing beforehand. Prior to any evacuation taking place there should be an evacuation plan in place beforehand. The evacuation plan should lay out which areas emergency responders should aim to evacuate and in which order, and should lay out the specific routes that residents should take, and stick to during an evacuation. When an evacuation is taking place the primary focus of emergency responders should be to ensure that all roads or paths on the evacuation route are clear of obstacles for civilians. Secondly, communication is essential and key during an evacuation. Proper communication equipment should be installed beforehand as part of any emergency management plan. Mark Sloan, the Emergency Management Coordinator for Harris County, Texas states that “In the heat of battle, it became extremely difficult to communicate with so many jurisdictions quickly and effectively. Not everybody was near their phone or watching their email” (Stone, 2012). His community has increased not only the quality of their communications, but also the quantity of methods by which they can communicate with both emergency responders and citizens alike.

There are a number of aspects that emergency planners must consider when preparing for an evacuation. The first and often times most important thing that must be considered is shelter. Where will evacuees go during an evacuation? In-place protective shelters protect citizens from wind, ground shaking, or water-based crisis situations. For instance during Hurricane Katrina officials utilized the New Orleans Metro Dome as shelter for evacuees. Secondly, potential hazards should be taken into account during evacuation planning. For instance emergency planners must consider any potential obstacles that civilians maybe confront during an evacuation. For example evacuating an island over a bridge during high winds, for both the citizens being evacuated and the public safety police and fire personnel would be incredibly dangerous, therefore plans should be put in place to either avoid such an obstacle during an evacuation, or ensuring that steps are taken to minimize the danger of such an evacuation.

Different types of disasters warrant different types of evacuations. For instance both the planning and response aspects of evacuations differ greatly for man-made disasters in comparison to natural disasters. Due to the fact that natural disasters are much easier to predict than man-made, it is important that emergency planners ensure that shelter is in-place for a natural catastrophe. On the other hand a key aspect of [planning for potential man made emergencies is ensuring that proper escape routes are pre-planned, and that those routes are the primary focus of emergency responders during an evacuation.

Evacuations planning is one of the most complex aspects of any emergency management plan. It is important for emergency planners to consider a number of factors during evacuation planning. Such factors include evacuations routes, types of emergencies, civilian shelter, and communication aspects. No evacuation plan will ever be perfect, but by considering and preparing for any potential obstacles can help to save lives down the road.