City Management of a Hurricane Evacuation

City Management of a Hurricane Evacuation

In year 2005, it was the worst season for every country of natural disaster. Some countries had earth quicks, tsunamis, and hurricanes. Hurricanes are very common in the U.S.A last year it was Katrina which demolish almost the whole New Orleans. What are hurricanes and how are they developed? As the tropical storms makes contact with warm ocean waters and if the temperature of water is above 25 degrees, the storms heat and energy intensify. Winds rotate counter clock wise around they eye, when winds reaches 75 miles per hour the storm is officially classified as a hurricane. They are classified in different categories according to how powerful they are, one Minimal to five Catastrophic.(National service 2006) Are we ready for it? What is city planning to do for massive evacuation? Future plan for these types of hurricane evacuation is very important. City plans evacuation for hurricane disaster are communication plan, color zone, alternate route, more forces,and emergency assistance.

Clear picture plans is very important especially when it comes to hurricanes season. Past experience with Rita and Katrina was lack of communication. Communication is very common problem which can be fiexed to eliminate further miscommunication. There should be one common number that can help emergency workers to communize with each other. According to Houston chronical "As Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Cost, the story emerged: Firefighters and police in the region didn't have the means to communicate," (Thompson 2006). While we all observed this problem the bill approved 414-2 that would require states and local government developed guild line to first response (Houston Chronical 2006) That would eliminate many problem that are created during Hurricane evacuation all the emergency assistance will be well prepared by knowing whats going on. There should be major communication between emergency assistance and evacuees for people not to panic. Also, it is important to keep up with news and have special news channel to keep up with hurricane season. Along with communication its is also important to have law and order on roads and should have color zone.

There are many areas that are affected by hurricane most and some least. To avoid traffic rush, as we had past experience with hurricane Rita there should be color zone. Red for category four and five, Yellow for category two and three and Green for category one mild. If evacuees live near an evacuation zone boundary and are not sure which zone they are in there should be assistant to assist them or find local police station for assistant. If living in mobile home in any of the three evacuation zones, plan to evacuate any time a hurricane threatens. Government should force curfues for those evacuees who are not in any danger zone to avoid traffic. The main problem on road accrues when there is no gas left. Either the stations ran out of gas or they just stop running there station. To avoid that problem there should be temporary gas tanks or containers on the road for people who truly need gas with minimum price. Traffic monitoring is as helpful as color zone. There have to be close eyes on monitoring traffic.

The countys expanding traffic monitoring and getting ready for hurricane season. There is a plan to hook into the regional transportation system so it can monitor the highway, feeder road and hurricane evacuations routes. County is already working on traffic management system in operation on major throughout highways. "It will give us the ability in case of an emergency to see the state roads, like those at ray ford- Sawdust and research forest", (Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance) June 25, 2006. The county had plans to put cameras throughout the intersections to monitor traffic for any congestion or accidents. There are also sensors installed for emergency purposes, it has speed sensors, closed-circuit televison cameras and message board for traffic to keep moving. (Beth Kuhles 2006). The system monitoring system also monitors flood sensors, radar, satetllite, and track weather reports in case evacuations or traffic rerouting become necessary. (Beth Kuhles 2006). Last year during hurricane Rita, on interstate 45 traffic was clogged with residents escaping, many motorists stranded for hours with out going any where. To eliminate those problems roads should be more expended, specially during peak periods of evacuations "Whaley Said" (Beth Kuhles 2006). Besides monitoring the traffic, and required for traffic to go smooth it necussary to have proper signs. New signs will help direct storm evecures traffic through county. New contra flow traffic signs and other improvements along freeway should and