The concepts and principles of evacuation

In this topic we will consider some of the concepts and principles of evacuation. One of the most difficult aspects of emergency/disaster management is the evacuation of affected communities. If it is implemented, the evacuation of communities is in fact another hazard that the community and authorities have to deal with.

The evacuation phenomenon

When managing the impact of an emergency/disaster on a community it could be argued that there are two fundamental strategies:

• remove the threat to the community;
• remove the community from the threat.

Activity 11.1   In the activity table provided in the link below, I would like you to list some examples you can think of which illustrate how each strategy can be accomplished. Save your work to your Learning Portfolio when completed.   Strategies to remove the threat to the community Strategies to remove the community from the threat         Save or print this activity

Your list of examples of where the threat has been removed from the community could include such things as:

• putting the forest fire out before it threatens the community;
• removing the toxic substance away from the community;
• stopping smoking inside buildings;
• using non-flammable materials when building;
• building levees, dykes or flood barriers to keep floods away from communities;
• stopping hazardous industry;
• staying in your house and sealing it off from the effects of toxic fumes.

Your list of examples of where the community has been removed from the threat could include such things as:

• building communities on high ground away from floods;
• evacuating a building that is on fire;
• moving communities away from drought and famine affected areas;
• moving communities away from war zones;
• evacuating flood affected areas;
• moving up-wind from toxic fumes.

Activity 11.2   Read Textbook: Carter, Chapter 17 Response: para 29, Evacuation. Now review the lists of examples that we provided previously of where the community has been removed from the threat and identify which are precautionary and which are post impact. I expect that the majority fall into the category of post impact. Consider also the principle that ‘prevention is better than cure’. Take a moment now to consider and record the sociological implications associated with the removal of the community from the threat. On the activity sheet provided below, jot down your thoughts on what the sociological implications of an evacuation might be. Don’t forget to save your work when completed. Save or print this activity

I hope that your considerations include such thoughts as

• community groups will be divided
• specialist needs of different community groups during evacuation
• potential for loss of identity and belonging by those evacuated
• need for constant communications and information flow between authorities and evacuated community
• need for “normality” to be returned as soon as possible

From these considerations, it is likely quite apparent that communities should be investing more energies in preventative strategies which minimise the need for evacuation.

In addition to our preventative actions we also need to consider our contingent actions, so that if and when evacuation is needed it may be implemented with minimal adverse consequences.

Planning for systematic evacuation has become an integral part of emergency preparedness. The absence of appropriate plans and their effective implementation can be the basis of much condemnation when the community move into the “blame allocation” mode after an event.

In putting this Topic together it was interesting for us to find that there has been very little research conducted into mass evacuations.

Most of the research on evacuations has related to:

• leaving;
• actual withdrawal or logistical aspects;
• the transfer to other locations;
• the return.

Given that evacuation is recognised as a potential aspect of any emergency/disaster it is somewhat surprising that there has been very little research into the impact on the community, organisations, family or individuals.

At this point it is worth considering that if a decision is made to evacuate a community, there is the potential that the evacuation might direct people to an environment which represents greater danger than if they stayed where they were. Remaining at an endangered location is not always a bad option when faced by a threat. You might recall stories of such evacuations during storms, hurricanes, cyclones, floods and bush/wild fires. We can also reflect back on the evacuations associated with Hurricane Katrina in the USA during 2005. Poor pre-event evacuation planning strategies placed a large number of evacuees in the New Orleans Superdome where security, safety, feeding and public hygiene and health issues placed the evacuees in unspeakable living conditions for a lengthy period of time.

Activity 11.3   Read Reading 11.1: Centre for Progressive Reform (2005). An unnatural disaster: The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, pp. 23-27. Retrieved online on 9/09/2007 http://www.progressivereform.org/Unnatural_Disaster_512.pdf Click on the above PDF link to open this document, then scroll to page 23 and read the sections to do with evacuation commencing with Emergency Response Planning and Implementation- The Failures of All Levels of Government to Plan for Emergency Evacuation of All New Orleans Residents Save or print this activity

Activity 11.4   Having now read a little about evacuation and the issues that authorities need to consider before ordering and effecting an evacuation, I would like you to take a few moments to consider the question of when might it be better NOT to order an evacuation? Make a list of any scenarios where you think that a stay put option might be the best. Save or print this activity