Evacuation

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Evacuation planning

Don’t wait for an emergency to happen to start planning for it. Have a plan in place so you are prepared. Learn about natural disasters that may potentially affect the area you live in or the area you are planning to visit.

Work with local emergency responders

• Ensure your home allows for access to emergency vehicles. Driveways should be at least 13 feet wide with vertical clearance of at least 13½ feet.  

• Before an incident occurs, ask local responders what residents can expect. 

• Learn the various methods of communication used to share emergency information to your community.  

• Sign-up or register for Emergency Alert systems in your community.  

• Follow local emergency management social media pages for timely updates.  

• Follow directions and guidance from emergency response officials. Heed any warning issued and evacuate when ordered.  

Evacuation kits

• Prepare an emergency “GO” Kit 
  • Plan how you you’ll assemble your kit. Plastic storage containers and resealable bags are a great way to start.  
  • Build your kit with the “5 P’s”: 
    • People and Pet supplies – Store enough food and water for the whole family to sustain for at least 72 hours, including pets and livestock. Include travel needs for pets such as carriers  
    • Prescriptions – Prescription medications with dosages included, eyeglasses and contacts, hearing aids, medical equipment, and any necessary batteries and power cords to support their use 
    • Papers – Paper copies or electronic copies of insurance information, phone numbers, identification documents, and other important documents 
    • Personal Needs – Clothes, toiletries, first aid kit, cash, computers, or other electronics, digital storage drives, chargers, and sanitation supplies 
    • Priceless items – pictures, heirlooms, and irreplaceable memorabilia 
  • If you have children, you may also want to include children’s activities, toys, and comfort items.  
    • Children’s activity worksheet to pack your go bag
  • Choose a safe and accessible space to store your kit. Everyone in the household and frequent visitors should be aware of its location. 
  • Inspect your kit regularly for expired or damaged items. Frequently refresh stored batteries, update paperwork, and update prescription information. 

Evacuation routes

• Identify at least two evacuation routes. This ensures an alternative option if your primary route is compromised by smoke, traffic, or other obstacle.  

• Pre-load evacuation routes into your vehicle GPS or cell phone. 

• Notify family and friends when and where you are evacuating and when you reach your destination safely.  

• If your community is being threatened, leave early. You do not have to wait for an evacuation order to be issued.  

• Evacuation shelters are not always determined until needed. Stay up to date with local emergency response officials for shelter information.  

• If you are evacuating to a shelter, follow its guidelines regarding pets and special accommodation needs.  

Plan and practice evacuation

• Create a family communication plan. 

• Designate an out-of-area friend or relative as an additional point of contact to keep updated during an evacuation. 

• Identify emergency meeting locations. 

• Plan and practice at least two evacuation routes. 

• When creating your household’s evacuation plan, consider and include pets and large animals.  

• Update your homeowner’s insurance to ensure your policy reflects the current features of your home and keep an updated inventory that documents the contents of your home.  

Evacuating

• When evacuations are ordered, sometimes you will have time to prepare but other times you must leave as soon as possible. Note these time frames and adhere to official guidance. 

• Keep your cell phone fully charged. 

• Check in on your neighbors and alert them to prepare. 

• Put your evacuation kit in your vehicle. 

• Carry car keys, wallet, ID, cell phone, and spare batteries or power banks. 

• Stay hydrated. 

• Locate your pets and put them in carriers early.  

• Prepare horses and large animals for transport. 

If time allows

• Close all windows. 

• Move interior furniture away from windows and doors. 

• Turn off pilot lights for gas appliances. 

• Turn off air conditioning. 

• Leave your lights on so that your house is visible to firefighters. 

• Bring combustible deck furniture inside the house or garage or move it further away from the house. Move firewood at least 30 feet away from the house or wooden attachments (such as a wooden fence). 

• Turn off propane tanks and other gas at the meter. 

• Cover attic and crawl space vent with pre-cut plywood.  

• Gather irreplaceable, easily carried items such as family photos and small heirlooms. 

• Collect and bring personal computer data and digital information backups.  

Evacuating with children

• Talk about the different types of disasters that could affect your area and what they might expect with each. 

• Your family’s needs will change over time. Update your evacuation plan and kits regularly to reflect your family’s current needs.  

• Pick the same person for each family member to contact. Someone living out of town may be easier to reach in a disaster. It may be easier to text if phone lines are experiencing heavy congestion. 

• Decide on a safe, familiar, accessible place where your family can go for protection or to reunite. If you have pets or service animals, think about animal friendly locations. Consider places in your house, in your neighborhood, and outside your city or town so you’re prepared for any situation.  

• Make a list of contacts and plans. Make sure everyone in the family has copies and keeps them in a safe place like a backpack, wallet, or notebook. If your children have cell phones, the information can be saved there.  

• Hold regular household meetings to review and practice your plan. 

Disasters can leave children and teens feeling frightened, confused and insecure. Encourage them to talk about it and answer any questions they have. Listen to your children, ask them about their feelings, and validate their concerns.  

When they ask questions, give the amount of information you feel is appropriate for your child. Things that can help during and after a disaster: 

• Limit media exposure. Intense media coverage of disasters can frighten a child and disturb teenagers. If your children watch TV or use the internet or social media, be available to talk with them and answer questions.  

• Make time for them and find support. Help children understand they are safe and secure by talking, playing, and doing other family activities. Build support networks with friends and family to help your children cope. 

• Keep a routine.  Help your children feel as if they still have a sense of structure, which can make them feel more relaxed.  When schools and childcare open again, help children return to normal activities like going to class, sports, and play groups. 

For many kids, reactions to disasters are short-term.  However, some children can be at risk for more long-term psychological stress.  Three risk factors for longer-lasting responses include: 

1. Direct exposure to the disaster such as being evacuated, observing injuries of others, or experiencing injury themselves. 

2. Loss or grief related to the death or serious injury of close family or friends.  

3. Ongoing stress from secondary effects, such as temporary housing, loss of social networks, loss of personal property, or parent’s unemployment.  

For more information on helping children cope with disasters, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics.  

Pets and livestock

Plan to take your pets with you if you need to evacuate.  If it is not safe for you to stay, it is not safe for them. Know which hotels along your evacuation routes will accept pets in an emergency.  Call ahead and ask if no-pet policies might be waived in an emergency. 

Note that most Red Cross shelters cannot accept pets because of health and safety concerns. Service animals are allowed in Red Cross shelters. 

Know which friends, relatives, boarding facilities, and veterinarians can care for your animals in an emergency.  Prepare a list of facilities and phone numbers. 

Be prepared to house multiple pets separately. 

• Acclimate your pets to their carriers prior to evacuation drills. Crate training can make evacuating much less stressful for your pet.  

• Include your pets in evacuation drills so they are familiar with entering and traveling in their carriers calmly. 

• Make sure your pet’s vaccinations are current and that all pets are wearing a collar with ID.  

• Many boarding facilities and shelters will have vaccination requirements. Ensure your pets meet these requirements.  

• Have your pet microchipped and keep microchip identification information updated. Some frightened or stressed animals will run away. Collars can be escaped, removed, or damaged. Animal rescuers will have a much easier time reuniting you with your pet and also recognize that it has an owner if it is microchipped.  

Additional resources for your pets and livestock

For more information on pet evacuations and safety, visit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

ASPCA Disaster preparedness (external link)

Pet evacuation kit

Pet care after the disaster

The behavior of pets may change drastically after a disaster, becoming aggressive, or defensive. Be aware of their well-being and protect them from hazards to ensure the safety of other people and animals: 

• Watch your animals closely and keep them under your direct control as fences and gates may be damaged. 

• Pets may become disoriented, particularly if the disaster has affected scent markers that normally allow them to find their home. 

• Be aware of hazards at nose and paw or hoof level such as debris, spilled chemicals, fertilizers, and other substances that might not seem to be dangerous to humans. 

• Consult your veterinarian if any behavior problems persist. 

Livestock evacuation kit

• Photocopied or digital vaccination records and health certificates. 

• Proof of ownership, including proper registration and branding of livestock, ownership records, microchip records, insurance paperwork, photos, and bills of sale. 

• Have a list of all current medications and dosages. 

• Assemble necessary tack such as ropes and halters. Avoid ropes and halters made of nylon material that could melt during a fire’s extreme temperatures. 

• Keep a clipboard of all important numbers in a highly visible area in the barn in case you are not home, and first responders are able to provide assistance. Make a list of important phone numbers including: 
  • Veterinarian 
  • Local animal control agency 
  • Animal shelter or boarding facility 
  • Friends or relatives who would be willing to temporarily take care of your livestock 
  • Research if your county has a designated livestock boarding location 
  • Consider creating a Buddy System Network with a shared process where neighbors evacuate each other’s livestock, if possible, if you are away during an evacuation 
• Make contingency plans for feed and water in the event of an evacuation. 
  • Plan for hay, grain, and water for three to seven days 
  • Gather feed pans and buckets 

• Include miscellaneous items as needed for your livestock: 
  • Shavings 
  • Pitchfork
  • Leather gloves
  • Grooming supplies
  • Fly spray
  • First aid kits
  • Cleaning supplies

Evacuating livestock

• Plan several routes to leave your property. 

• Plan multiple destinations that can accept your livestock. 

• Make sure your vehicle is set up to tow your livestock trailer. 

• Make sure your trailer is in road-worthy condition. 

• Practice loading your livestock in the trailer prior to evacuation. 

• If you are unable to evacuate with your livestock, consider the following as identification options: 
  • Use spray paint or a livestock crayon to write your name and phone number on the side of the animal. 
  • Use clippers to shave your phone number into the animal’s coat. 
  • Braid a temporary ID tag with pre-written contact info into the horse’s mane. Attach a neck band or ear tag with contact information. 
  • Attach a neck band or ear tag with contact information. 

• If relocation of livestock is not possible: 
  • Open gates to allow livestock to escape. 
  • Turn livestock out to a pasture that is grazed down, disked, or field that is a high moisture crop (irrigated). 
  • Close all gates behind livestock to prevent them re-entering an unsafe area.