Chance for Havoc in Plans to Evacuate U.S. Cities

Last week’s pre-hurricane evacuations in Texas and Louisiana didn’t exactly go as planned, which is causing local officials from cities across the country to re-examine their own evacuation plans. But a new report suggests those plans might not be up to par.

The New York Times’ John M. Broder is saying that while most major cities have made preparations for emergencies like fires, floods or large toxic spills – emergencies that do not involve an entire city – few have prepared for large-scale disaster evacuations like the kind needed before Katrina and Rita.

Broder spoke with officials across the country, including some in California and New York. According to Henry R. Renteria, director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services in California, California's geography and diverse population make evacuation doubly complicated.

“I'm never satisfied with any plan we have in place,” Renteria told Broder. “They have to be constantly looked at, constantly re-evaluated and constantly revised in light of the lessons learned from those who have been through this experience.”

New York, Broder says, may also face some difficulties because city traffic, which is already a problem on any ordinary day, would pose an even more significant challenge. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly told Broder the city has two general evacuation plans, one for hurricanes and another for terrorist attacks.

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