Emergency evacuation plans safeguard lives and communities by ensuring an effective, timely response to various emergencies and disasters. Most jurisdictions legally require communities and businesses to develop, practice, and maintain such plans, so it is important to understand how to create them and tips to make those plans successful.
Individuals interested in a career dedicated to creating emergency evacuation plans and helping communities stay resilient in the wake of disasters should consider a master’s degree in health security. A program like this can give professionals the tools and knowledge to keep their communities safe.
What Is Emergency Evacuation, and When Is It Necessary?
Emergency evacuation is a process by which a person or group of people leaves an area under imminent threat. For example, many people living in areas impacted by hurricanes or tsunamis, even those who live far inland, and people living under the threat of wildfires may need to evacuate their homes or businesses. Emergency evacuation may also be localized to a specific area, such as a building or campus.
Nearly every community could be subject to evacuation from some form of event. Emergency evacuation plans are essential for moving these individuals safely and effectively.
The most common emergencies that can call for evacuation include the following:
- Natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, and tsunamis
- Fires or explosions
- Civil unrest, such as riots
- Chemical spills or accidents
- Radiological accidents
- Toxic fumes or gas leaks
When a serious threat to public safety exists, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, government agencies may issue a mandatory evacuation of specific areas.
What Is an Emergency Evacuation Plan?
An emergency evacuation plan is a vital preparedness strategy designed to protect life and property. It ensures that people can leave their homes, places of business, workplaces, or communities safely and quickly.
These plans are created to keep order and prevent panic during disasters or emergencies. They often include emergency evacuation maps that give people information about the best exits to use and where to go to find respite or shelter. Plans may also include a framework for early and effective disaster communication.
Steps for Creating an Emergency Evacuation Plan
Creating an emergency evacuation plan requires significant knowledge and foresight. Emergency management and health security professionals are uniquely trained to create, execute, and change these plans as necessary using the steps below.
Step 1: Analyze the Emergency
Understanding the risk is the first step in developing a successful emergency evacuation plan. For example, communities and businesses within a few miles of a coastline have an increased risk of flooding, tsunamis, and hurricanes. Companies manufacturing or using potentially toxic chemicals are at increased risk of evacuation due to toxic gases or fumes.
Step 2: Create an Emergency Evacuation Map With Feasible Exit Points
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), all workplaces must have at least two exit routes. Most building codes across the U.S. require the same for homes, and when evacuating entire communities, public officials plan multiple exit routes along roads and highways to avoid overcrowding.
Step 3: Identify Areas for Shelter and Safety
Fleeing the disaster- or emergency-prone area is only the first step in a successful emergency evacuation plan. People must have a safe assembly point to gather outside the danger zone. The area should have proper lighting with cellular service available and should not be in a zone where road access could be obstructed.
Step 4: Create Policies and Procedures for Evacuation
After analyzing the potential for emergencies or disasters, professionals should create an emergency evacuation map with detailed exit points, and determining areas of shelter, companies or public officials create policies and procedures for each person affected. Employees are often directed to use specific exits in a workplace based on their office or work location. In communities, families and individuals use specific roads based on the location of their neighborhoods.
Step 5: Discuss With Others
Regular meetings with other public officials or employees are essential for ensuring a successful emergency evacuation plan. Community members or employees should be able to ask questions, voice their concerns, or seek clarification. These meetings also relay any changes to previous plans.
Step 6: Delegate Responsibilities
Different people within the government or organization should be given specific duties to carry out in the event of an emergency. For example, at least one person, such as a building’s evacuation warden, should have the authority to make quick decisions, and it is important to develop a chain of command if that person is unavailable. Others may be given duties such as communicating with emergency services, doing a head count, or even assessing the need for immediate medical care.
Step 7: Train Regularly
Much like fire and tornado drills, emergency evacuation plans should be practiced regularly to be as effective as possible. Training should occur regularly, and retraining should be available for those who cannot attend the initial exercise. The more detailed and frequent the training, the more efficient and safe an actual evacuation will be.
Step 8: Regularly Review and Alter the Plan as Needed
Changes to city layouts, road closures, and unexpected events can create the need to alter existing emergency evacuation maps, routes, or plans. Review these plans frequently or after any major change that could hamper emergency evacuations, and update them as needed.
10 Emergency Evacuation Plan Tips
While having an emergency evacuation plan is the most important tip for evacuating people safely, a few other considerations can make evacuations less stressful and more efficient.
1. Test Emergency Alert Systems Regularly
Emergency alert systems are vital in homes, businesses, and communities. From the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in homes and businesses to citywide civil defense sirens and national wireless broadcast alerts, everyone must do their part to ensure that these alert systems work as intended.
2. Implement Early Warning Systems
As a tornado watch warns people of the possibility of a major event, early warning systems can help people prepare for an evacuation. Every emergency evacuation plan should include a streamlined framework for various warnings and threat levels.
3. Help Residents and Civilians Create Emergency Kits
A well-packed emergency kit can make an evacuation easier and safer — and even save lives. Preventing foreseeable issues is an important aspect of public health, and an emergency kit plays a vital role. The items that individuals and families should include in an easily transportable emergency evacuation kit include the following:
- Basic Supplies: Potable water, nonperishable food items, first aid kits, flashlights and batteries, crank radios, whistles, multitools, and other items can make a significant difference during a true emergency.
- Documents: Identification cards, birth certificates, medical records, and insurance information should be stored in a watertight container inside an emergency kit.
- Child Care Necessities: A larger supply of water, infant formula, clothing, and blankets is important for families with small children.
- Medications: A realistic supply of medications should be included with an emergency kit.
- Pet Food and Supplies: Emergency kits should also include an ample supply of pet food, enough water for several days, pet medications, and comfort items.
- Cash or Extra Debit and Credit Cards: Keeping extra cash and extra credit or debit cards in an emergency kit can provide some safety in the event of a sudden evacuation.
4. Keep a List of Local and Out-of-Area Contacts
Effective emergency evacuation plans include a detailed procedure for contacting family members or others in the event of a major emergency. A list of phone numbers for emergency personnel, utility companies, and poison control should also be included in any evacuation plan.
5. Prepare for Evacuation Early
Some evacuation plans ask residents and civilians to be prepared for a sudden mandatory evacuation. In this case, it is wise to ask residents to put specific items in their vehicles, including blankets, food, and water, to make immediate evacuation faster and safer. This is often the case in severe weather events, such as hurricanes, wildfires, floods, or potential tornado outbreaks, in which emergencies can be forecast days in advance.
6. Coordinate With Emergency Services
During an evacuation, public health officials or organizational leaders need to keep in contact with emergency response teams and services such as fire, police, and medical teams. A detailed emergency evacuation map can help essential personnel plot routes to deliver aid faster and more efficiently by avoiding high-traffic areas.
7. Make Special Arrangements for Those Who Need Them
An emergency evacuation plan should consider the needs of small children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, making special arrangements for them if necessary. This may involve assigning individuals to those needing assistance during an evacuation or ensuring that all evacuation routes are accessible to everyone.
8. Consider Business Continuity Needs
When evacuating a workplace or government building, it may be important to protect sensitive documents or data to ensure business continuity. Using cloud servers is the safest and most effective means, particularly when an unpredicted disaster strikes, and a matter of seconds could lead to devastating effects. Business continuity should never be prioritized over saving lives.
9. Plan for Pets in Safe Areas and Shelters
Although it is not always feasible, public health officials, communities, and others should do everything possible to make shelters and respite areas safe for pets. Furthermore, community members and civilians should be given clear instructions on where to bring their pets in the event of an emergency requiring an evacuation.
10. Consider Seasonal Hazards in Emergency Evacuation Plans
Emergency evacuation plans should consider potential seasonal hazards that can influence the way those plans are carried out. For example, traffic may flow much slower during the winter months when snow and ice hinder transportation. Evaluating these potential hazards now — and planning for them early — can make a huge difference during an evacuation.
The Role of an Emergency Management Director
Emergency management directors are highly trained professionals who prepare emergency evacuation plans and procedures. They may be responsible for leading responses during emergencies or disasters and forming teams of evacuation wardens within communities or companies. Other tasks that an emergency management director may carry out include the following:
- Meeting with other public health and safety officials, organizations, and the general public about emergency evacuation plans
- Working with urban planners to develop an emergency evacuation map based on available routes and city layouts
- Organizing effective emergency response teams to assist in evacuations or rescues
- Preparing damage assessments following disasters or emergencies
- Applying for federal or state funding for emergency management planning or recovery
- Reviewing and revising local emergency preparedness plans
Emergency management directors generally must have at least a bachelor’s degree and five years or more of experience in a related field. However, a specialized master’s degree in an emergency management or health security field may be preferred to years of experience, particularly in areas hardest hit by natural disasters.
Emergency Management Director Salary and Job Outlook
Emergency management directors earned a median annual salary of $83,960 across all roles and industries as of May 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Those working in the private professional, scientific, or technical services industries earned significantly more on average ($106,730).
According to the BLS, the employment of emergency management directors is projected to increase by 4 percent — the average for job growth across all occupations — between 2023 and 2033. As more companies and governments grasp the importance of planning and preparing for emergencies to reduce harm and risk, the demand for these professionals will likely rise.
Keep People Safe With a Degree in Health Security
Stronger and more frequent severe weather, increasing numbers of wildfires, and a growing population all contribute to the potential for disasters and emergencies. If you are interested in saving lives and keeping communities safe, consider a career in health security.
The Master of Science in Health Security from Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine at Tulane University can provide the skills and training you need to help communities develop emergency evacuation plans, response plans, and more. With a keen awareness and knowledge of natural, human-made, and medical disasters and a strong foundation in health security, you can be uniquely prepared to support resilient, healthy communities.
Learn more about earning your master’s degree in health security from Tulane University.
Sources:
Indeed, Emergency Management Specialist Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool
SafetyCulture, Emergency Evacuation Plan and Procedures: The Complete Guide
Tradesafe, “How to Prepare an Emergency Evacuation Plan: Key Steps and Guide”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Emergency Management Directors
VisitUs, Emergency Evacuation Plans: Why They’re So Important”