Plotting out a plan for evacuation is very important and not very time consuming. If you are in a coastal area or live in a flood zone, the government will mandate evacuations for storms that are above 80 miles per hour. These are some steps that will make any evacuation more manageable and safe. There are also some options that you have depending on the size of the storm. Local evacuation is not always sufficient, traveling to another city that is inland is many times a better idea.

Many cities already have an evacuation route set up for where you live. A shelter is usually a large sports complex like a gymnasium or a cafeteria at a public school. You can obtain the specific detail about your city's evacuation route by contacting the local weather emergency services. Their phone number is usually located in the front section of your phonebook. They can give you driving directions and any special instructions. This is important because the evacuation route may not be the most direct route. Emergency specialists map out a route according to the safest route possible. Some routes may flood easy or are easily congested by traffic. Keep this information in your glove box so that you do not need to search for in case of an emergency.

If you plan to leave town in an event of an evacuation, you need to choose a city that is inland and with in a couple hours drive. Traffic can drastically make this drive longer and you do not want to be in your vehicle when a storm may hit. Then select a hotel and get their contact information. Have a list of about three hotels, incase one is full. You do not want to be searching for a hotel when you are trying to prepare for an actual evacuation. Also keep this information in the glove box so that it is readily available when you need it. Then map out a couple different routes to each hotel. With all of this done, you can quickly evacuate safely before the threat of a storm.