Red = Weak (0-3 points) Yellow = Moderate (4-7 points) Green/Olive = Strong (8-10 points) Gray = N/A (Cities without openly accessible evacuation plans). Credit: Florida Atlantic University
The study is based upon data extracted from plans, collected and analyzed from the years after Hurricane Katrina and after that more just recently throughout the mid-20 teens (prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic). Researchers also present an Evacuation Preparedness Rating of 5 dimensions recognized as best practices in evacuation planning for susceptible populations: special needs computer registries; specialized transport strategies for individuals with specific needs; pick-up area plan; multimodal evacuation strategy; and pedestrian evacuation plan.
The 50 cities were scored based on the Composite Evacuation Preparedness Rating System that consists of 4 designations: weak, 0– 4 points; moderate, 5– 7 points; strong, 8– 10 points; and N/A, plans that were not evaluated.
Released in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, the results of the study, showed that just seven cities had strong strategies, consisting of Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twenty cities accomplished a moderate ranking, 6 cities had a weak rating and 17 strategies were not offered or do not exist.
Accessibility of plans for 50 of the biggest cities in the U.S. Credit: Florida Atlantic University.
” While it is guaranteeing that more cities are establishing evacuation plans, in general, it remains frustrating that not every city had the ability to learn the lessons of not being prepared, specifically for carless and susceptible populations, as showcased to the country during the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005,” said John L. Renne, Ph.D., senior author and teacher and director, Center for Urban & & Environmental Solutions (CUES) in FAUs Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, who performed the study with co-author Estefania Mayorga, a graduate of the masters program in Urban and Regional Planning at FAU who helped Renne on this job as part of her graduate research study assistantship as a trainee.
The general goal of this study was to establish a way to compare strategies, throughout cities and over time, to pursue standardizing a method for assessing evacuation prepare for carless and vulnerable populations across the U.S
. The Evacuation Preparedness Rating System worked as a tool to allow consistent and constant rating to test for minimum standards in all cities across the country. Furthermore, the tracking of strategies over time lights up which cities are enhancing and permits a nationwide snapshot that develops more responsibility to highlight which cities are ready and which are not..
— the response based on our findings is clearly: NOT ENOUGH,” said Renne. “Many cities that have strong strategies, including Jacksonville, Miami, New Orleans, and New York are seaside cities that have experienced strong hurricanes in the past.
Recommendation: “What has America discovered Since Hurricane Katrina? Examining evacuation plans for carless and vulnerable populations in 50 large cities across the United States” by John L.Renne and Estefania Mayorga, 13 August 2022, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.DOI: 10.1016/ j.ijdrr.2022.103226.
Hurricane Katrina. According to a first-of-its-kind research study, given that Hurricane Katrina, there have actually only been minimal enhancements with regard to evacuation preparation in Americas 50 biggest cities. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Research study rates 50 biggest U.S. cities– discovers marginal evacuation planning improvements.
Evacuation organizers hardly ever thought about the needs of carless and susceptible populations prior to Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. These susceptible populations include low-income, senior, or young individuals with specific requirements or travelers without a car while on vacation. In the after-effects of the storm, transportation coordinators called for a new focus on evacuation planning to meet the particular requirements of these people.
What has America discovered because Hurricane Katrina? Insufficient, according to a first-of-its-kind study by Florida Atlantic University (FAU), which reveals just limited improvements have been with regard to evacuation planning in Americas 50 largest cities. An absence of preparedness, specifically to evacuate individuals without any access to automobiles and vulnerable populations, was found by researchers.
Published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, the results of the study, revealed that only seven cities had strong strategies, consisting of Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twenty cities achieved a moderate ranking, six cities had a weak score and 17 strategies were not offered or do not exist. Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis are amongst the cities with plans not found.
The overall objective of this research study was to develop a method to compare strategies, across cities and over time, to work toward standardizing an approach for assessing evacuation strategies for carless and susceptible populations throughout the U.S
. “Many cities that have strong plans, including Jacksonville, Miami, New Orleans, and New York are seaside cities that have actually experienced strong hurricanes in the past.
