In case you weren’t aware (seems the news cycle is always crazy) within the last week in Manatee County, Tampa Bay, FL, there were a series of evacuations in response to a leak at the Piney Point Reservoir. This reservoir is the site of an old phosphate plant that stores industrial byproducts and wastewater. Piney Point is a site that has been a hot topic for environmentalist’s since it was abandoned 20 years ago when the previous owners declared bankruptcy, due to the reservoir’s contents, potential for radiological issues, run-off and pollution that would damage the Bay and surrounding areas.
When the breach in the reservoir was discovered Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency and ordered more than 300 homes and businesses to evacuate with little to no warning. Additionally, 267 COVID negative prisoners were transferred to a nearby facility (a risk in and of itself for multiple reasons), while the remaining 721 prisoners and staff are sheltering on the second floor of the prison.
As an Emergency Manager, I must wonder how many of these residents and businesses were prepared to be removed from their homes, businesses, and the lives they have made, potentially permanently. This is why I wanted to touch on some evacuation tips and recommendations that we should all be doing in order to be prepared for an evacuation.
Evacuation kits or “go bags” are not just for preppers or doomsday preppers, they are the basic items we should have, just in case we encounter a disaster or incident such as a house fire, flood, tornado or even a wastewater dam collapse. Evacuation kits can be broken down into 3 different areas: Sustenance, Communication and Documentation, Clothing and Extras.
Sustenance
- Food
- Water
- Mess kit (plates, bowls, cups, utensils)
- Formula and bottles
- Medications, hygiene and feminine supplies
As you can probably tell, these are the items that keep you alive, healthy, and clean. FEMA recommends that you have a minimum, 1 gallon of water per person per day. HOWEVER, this gallon is meant to be used for personal hygiene and equipment cleaning, as well as for drinking water. You should prioritize a minimum of one liter per day for personal consumption depending on temperature and your experienced workload. Keep in mind that water is heavy and plan accordingly.
You should also be prepared to have a 3-day supply of non-perishable food. Peanut-butter, Cliff or protein bars, tuna cans or packets and similar items are all great options because they are light, non-perishable, require little to no utensils, while still being calorie and nutrient dense. Remember to pack a p-38/p-51 or manual can opener just in case you come across a non-pull-tab can.
Communication and Documentation
These are the items that will keep you informed and in contact with the outside world as well as prepared to deal with the fallout and get you back to normal as quickly as possible. Remember to keep these items in sealable plastic bags to keep them safe and dry or better yet, upload them (secured) to a cloud device and or USB drive as back-ups.
Communication Items
- Battery or crack operated NOAA weather radio
- Flashlight (to help see in the dark or signal for help)
- Whistle
- Cell phone with chargers and/or backup battery
- Emergency contact list
- Pencil or sharpie and a small notebook
Documentation Items
- Identification and/or birth certificates, social security cards
- Property and health insurance information
- Cash, checks, bank account information
- Deeds, titles and any other important information you may have
Clothing and extras
This one is super simple. Have at least one change of clothing that works for your climate and a change of shoes. Remember that if you have infants or toddlers, a few changes of clothing may be necessary.
Extra’s are just that…extra. Extra’s depend on your location, climate, method of travel and the hazards that are common to your area. You may want to consider:
- Sleeping bags or warm blankets for each person
- Fire extinguisher
- Matches or lighters in waterproof containers
- Books, games and activities for children
- Pet food and waste bags
- Dust masks, plastic sheeting and duct tape
- First aid kits
At the end of the day, your level of safety, comfort and ability post incident is totally dependent on your level of preparedness prior to an incident or disaster. Being prepared for a long-term evacuation is always better so long as it doesn’t hinder your ability to actually evacuate. Remember that your kit contents should change depending on your needs, common hazards in your area, reasonable worst case scenario's, climate, transportation and more. So be pro-active and prepare your kit a little bit each day and practice a no notice evacuation to test your capabilities. You just might surprise yourself.
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