Hurricane Evacuation Info

Information on this page is not a guide in lieu of common sense and is not being portrayed as gospel. Louisiana Good Sam is not responsible nor will accept any liability whatsoever as to information provided.

1. A methodology of where to go
2. A checklist of things to do way in advance
3. A checklist of things to do when you head out the door
4. A list of considerations following the storm

WHICH WAY TO GO?

Below is a list by state and zip code. Zip codes that are within the coastal areas are listed in the red zone with the next furthest north (about 50+ miles) in the yellow zone and the farthest north (about 150+) in the green zone. The idea is that if a storm is heading towards your red zip code, you need to head towards either a yellow or green zip code for safety. By consulting your favorite campground guide, you can quickly determine the approximate location of a campground to call for reservations. Please keep in mind that even areas within the green zones may still experience high winds and power outages as far as 200 miles inland if they are on the north or northeast side of the storms direction of travel as was the case with Katrina and Rita. The only exception would be if you want to roll the dice and go east or west within a red zone, you still must consider the northwest / northeast quadrant factor. The northwest quadrant is the key to safety! While a direct hit is bad, being to the northeast of the landfall area is worse.

You should take into account the unreliability to accurately predict the point of landfall. Keep Rita in mind, she was originally predicted to hit northern Mexico and ended up slamming into southwestern Louisiana. It is not unusual for a storm to actually land miles east or west of its original predicted path and the difference in which quadrant of the storm your in can make a world of difference. My experience with Rita and Katrina was classic! Katrina was predicted to travel right up my driveway. I battened down everything in sight only to have her take a more easterly track and put me in the northwest quadrant. Weather was sunny with a light breeze, a beautiful summer day while southeast Louisiana and Mississippi got ripped apart as far north as Jackson. Rita looked like she was going hit Texas, still being in the northeast quadrant but farther east, I expected wind and rain but nothing serious. As it was, she hit farther east and I ended up without power for 6 days with trees down and all the other amenities associated with a strong storm in the NE quadrant. My home is located about 150 miles inland, get the point?

RED ZONE

Louisiana: 700, 701, 703, 705 & 706

Alabama: 363, 364, 365, & 366

Florida: 320, 323, 324, 325 & 326

Mississippi: 394, 395 & 396

Texas: 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778 & 779

YELLOW ZONE

Louisiana: 704, 707 & 708 or Mississippi yellow zone

Alabama: 360, 361, 367, 368 & 369

Florida: Go to Georgia or Alabama yellow zone

Georgia: 304, 310, 312 315, 316,  317, 318 &319

Mississippi: 390, 391, 393 & 369

Texas: 758, 759, 766, 767, 765, 778 786 & 787

GREEN ZONE:

Louisiana: 318

Alabama: 350, 351, 352, 355, 362

Georgia: 300, 301, 305, 306

Mississippi: 387, 389 & 397

Texas: 756, 757, 760, 761, 764

Back to top of this page

WHAT SHOULD I DO IN ADVANCE?

I have a sister who used to live in the San Francisco area and we would always banter back and forth about nature's wrath in an earthquake/hurricane scenario. It was always my final reply to the discussion that at least with a hurricane I got at least a weeks notice that something bad was on the way. Kind of like being notified of a big meeting at the home office and being asked to bring all of your files with you. Just book a one way ticket for now Mike, we'll let you know when and where you can book a return ticket. Katrina & Rita are still setting records of length of uninhabibility in the strike areas. No use in treating an evacuation in an optimistic manner, go pessimistically, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Preparing your RV for evacuation should be treated the same as planning to hit the road for a two week, dry camping vacation with the kids and your pets. I have very seldom seen a dead accurate landfall prediction made, they are usually pretty close, but hardly something to count on. Besides, it doesn't take that much time to make sure your RV is road ready and going over a previously prepared list of what to bring. Another point to ponder is weight; only bring essential items as the more you pack in your RV the heavier it gets. The kids X-Box may be the perfect thing to keep them occupied, but a board game is lighter. If bringing another vehicle along, share the load.

RV 'to do' list:

• Kick the tires and check the spare
• Charge all the batteries
• Fill your fresh water tank
• Test the generator
• Check all of your fluids
• Top off the fuel tank(s)
• Get your butane bottles filled
• Don't wait until it is time to leave to try and get gas, don't plan on finding gas after you leave either! Just remember those TV pictures of folks running out of gas on the highway and the long lines at the gas stations.
• Start a list of possible destinations including directions and phone #'s for reservations. Don't expect to just show up at a campground and being able to find a spot. Others may have left a few hours before you and are already there grilling hamburgers.

For 'us' to do list;
Keep in mind that unless you are going to Ohio to ride out the storm, areas far from landfall may still experience power outages that will affect refrigerated items and obtaining gas for your generator. Plan for at least a week's worth of dry camping. Start planning your evacuation route with pre-planned alternates. A lesson from Rita; the interstate's where jammed out of Houston, a lot of folks found that the secondary roads were less congested. Also, try a little zigging and zagging if you have time, going east or west first may lead to a less traveled northerly route. Probably the best tip is to plan early and leave early!

Back to top of this page

What do I do on my way out the front door?

• Turn off the water supply
• Turn off the gas supply
• Turn off the electricity
• Lock up
• Notify your local law enforcement that your house is vacant
• If you must leave your pets, leave them in as most a secure location as possible with plenty of food and water available
• Say a prayer that the storm miss's your home

Back to top of this page

What should I expect after the storm?

• Don't try to return until local authorities have said it is safe to return
• If your area is or was without power, repack the RV with the same supply list as when you left
• Expect secondary roads to possibly still be impassable
• Before re-entering your home, check it out for down power lines and any structural damage
• Be very careful when turning your utilities back on:
• Don't drink the water until you have ascertained that a boil advisory is not in affect
• If there was high water in your area, make sure that water has not gotten into the gas lines
• Be extremely careful with the electricity as high water may have damaged the wiring
• If your home was without power for 24 hours or more, don't open the refrigerator or freezer on a full stomach

Back to top of this page

Copyright © 2004 Louisiana Good Sam. All rights reserved.
Revised: 02/26/07