Hurricanes are common throughout the world, and many times evacuation is ordered by elected officials. Organizing a mass movement of people during a stressful situation is a major undertaking, just to order an evacuation is a complicated issue. Hurricane Florance is beginning to roar through several of the Southeastern States, it has been reduced to a Catagory 1 storm with 90 miles per wind. That is a big wind, some longtime residents of the states affected use the word "only" in front of Catagory 1 status. Many of them are experienced in dealing with Hurricanes and will only leave their homes if the storm is a Cat. 3 or larger. It used to puzzle me as to why anyone would stay, but there are actually good reasons why that choice is made. Some have no choice but to stay, others feel as if the storm is a minor inconvenience, there is a lot of thought put into the choice for some and others treat it as a passing fancy.
Evacuating ones home is often a difficult decision to make for many people. Those of us removed may take the position as I do, at the first indication of a Hurricane I am out of here. I have a sneaky suspicion that applies only to people like me with limited or no knowledge, or experience of the storms to make a decision. Perhaps it is much like the threat of the "Big" earthquake in the western states, there are so many small ones the threat doesn't register. That too is experience dealing with a natural disaster, it's the same in the North with blizzards. Preparation for one of these catastrophes' is normally a goal for 30% of any population, human nature is to wait until the threat is realized and upon us. Three groups of people define the preparation undertaken prior to an event, 30% prepare in one form or another, 30% feel as if they should, and 30% are totally indifferent. The lack of preparation makes evacuation more difficult if those under orders to leave all head for the grocery, and big box stores after the directives are issued, it is making a difficult situation worse. Some residents choose not to leave their homes, the reasons are varied, and many seem to be logical decisions. Listed below are some of the reasons people make a decision to stay.
A 150-mile drive was planned by one married couple to evacuate their home in Wilmington, North Carolina to Raleigh. That city is projected to receive the brunt of Florence as well, the same with the second choice they had made which is a 4-hour drive from their home. Realizing they were not making the situation better by relocating they decided to remain home with four children, two exchange students, and their pets. It is just too hard to find somewhere to evacuate to, is the justification. During Hurricane Harvey, 60 deaths were realized on the highway due to people evacuating, the main reason an evacuation was not put into effect during that disaster. 60 casualties were approximately 1/2 of the 118 fatalities realized as a result of Harvey. It is a serious consideration to put upwards of 5 million people on the roads with the purpose of evacuating.
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| During a Hurricane is no time to decide to evacuate. |
A vehicle is required to leave an area and unfortunately, not everyone has access to one, some have never learned to drive, and others cannot afford one. Bus tickets out of town are expensive and like airplane tickets price gouging is common, using the excuse of "supply and demand". However planes don't fly during a Hurricane, already more than 1,000 flights out of Virginia and the Carolina's have been canceled, all flights will be at some point. Fuel for a long distance retreat is expensive and some people simply can not afford to leave. Often the roads are dangerous and jammed up making them a danger of their own, and gas stations run out of fuel. These are seen as being riskier than staying in the house and facing the storm.
Finding a place to go to is a daunting task due to the changing characteristics of the storm, it would be crazy to take off driving with no destination in mind. That is one reason evacuation orders are withheld until the last few days before landfall, first responders need to know where to head to as well, no one knows until the Hurricane is nearly on top of the affected areas. Staying with family or friends is the most desirable result, and works out well for those that have that option available. Otherwise, it means spending money many people don't have on a hotel, motel, or short-term renting of an apartment or another shelter.
Disabled people may face a situation more hazardous to their health than the Hurricane presents. A long grueling journey to a severely disabled person or a patient who is terminal may be unsurvivable to those in that state of health. Twelve residents in an elderly home died during Irma last year due to the facility losing its electrical power causing heat exposure and dehydration. This situation was one that the people could not evacuate due to their medical conditions.
During Hurricane Katrina, 55% of those that stayed did not have access to a vehicle or other means of transportation. Another 68% did not have the funds or even a credit card to pay for the expenses an evacuation creates.
Leaving pets behind is difficult if not impossible decision for some to make, so they stay with their pet dogs, cats, or livestock. Motels in some instances do allow pets in the rooms, however, one pet is the limit, those with numerous animals are rejected or charged more to the point of unaffordability. Deciding to leave them behind to be on their own is most often certain death, they would encounter a scary situation which would cause them to panic without the comfort of their caretakers. Most pet owners will not subject their pets to that tragic end of life.
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| Abandoned pet, what's he to do? |
To place the lives of loved ones and pets intentionally is not the goal of most of the people that decide to stay. When it comes down to it sometimes it is more difficult to leave than it is to stay. As with so many decisions we face in life this would be one of the hardest I could make as I am sure it is for the people that decide to stay. One of the unfortunate results of not evacuating is sometimes the storms increases and becomes more unstable as it wreaks its havoc. Second thoughts are not uncommon causing some to evacuate in the middle of the event when it is right over their head. A decision to leave at that time is almost always a fatal decision, but a decision it is and they leave a position of relative safety to one of the absence of safety.
The decision must be made on an individual basis, including the entire would be in the groups best interest. Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, let us all say a few prayers for the people in the path of the storm and hope for no deaths that are a direct result of this disastrous situation. Thanks once again.
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