SHTF Home Evacuation Tips (plus what if you ended up homeless)

Evacuation

Our blueprint throughout this site over and over again is to secure our home to the best of our abilities, stand our ground  if need be and stay put. But there may be times when it is in our families best interest to evacuate and later on in this article we offer some SHTF Home Evacuation Tips. There may also be times when evacuation is our ONLY option.  There are two forms of evacuation threats. Imminent threats and immediate threats.

Imminent threats are considered threats that are not only approaching but nearly guaranteed. Think of an approaching tornado, hurricane or natural disaster.  You have hours or even days to decide your evacuation plans. Usually it boils down to the dangers of staying put in your home versus leaving your home. If you have any doubts of your home’s ability to weather the upcoming threat then you probably  need to evacuate.  During your time frame to consider whether or not to evacuate follow this simple guide to aid you in your departure.

1. You should have enough fuel to travel 400 miles. have your vehicle fully fueled as well as a few spare gas cans.
2. Take heed to radio and TV broadcast to decide your families best time to evacuate. Also listen for recommended exit / escape routes.
3. Find several escape routes if possible.
4. If traffic does not permit a timely evacuation have a secondary retreat location.
5. Have your vehicle packed with all the necessary roadside emergency equipment. This includes a GHB already in your car (get home bag). You never know when the added gear might be of use.
6. Make the final determination on whether or not to evacuate.

Follow these additional safeguards if you intend on evacuating.

• Unplug all electronics excluding your freezer / refrigerator.
• Lock your doors and windows.
• Brace your windows and doors if need be.
• Wear clothing that will aid you in the appropriate projected weather.
• Keep your families most valuable possessions  in your vehicle. Old photographs or silver spoons, whatever is of most value to your family.
• Make a note to remember your home’s GPS coordinates. In the wake of a devastating disaster your home may be very hard to locate.
• Let your family and friends know where you are headed and when you are leaving. Social networks such as Facebook are great ways to do this in an age where everybody is connected online. If ever you or your family members go missing rescuers may have vital information on your whereabouts.
• Be leery of roadside hazards. Downed power lines, washed out roads and low visibility driving are a few.

When immediate threats are present things are less complicated. Get the hell out of your house or away from the direct threat as soon as possible. Understand your primary and secondary escape routes as well as their locations. Usually doors and windows. Practice your evacuation techniques such as a fire drill with your family until everyone in your household can successfully get out of their home unassisted. We have previously covered  This includes little ones. Meet at a gathering point outside your home such as a neighbors porch or the foot of the driveway.

On a side note when evacuating you may need or want to leave valuable items behind for reasons only known to you. At the same time leaving an empty house for an extended period of time is unwise as looting is known to increase, especially when entire neighborhoods evacuate. Unless you have some amazing hiding places in your home look to bury your treasures in your backyard. Any airtight container is acceptable so long as you clearly remember where it is buried. To be on the safe side place something such as silver in the container. The worst case scenario being you have to search for it with a metal detector. As long as the metal detector can differentiate between metals, such as silver and copper you should be able to easily recover your possessions.

Children and Evacuation

Don’t ever feel that you need to protect your children by sheltering them from your preparedness methods and evacuation practices.  Your family is most effective as a team on the same page at all times. Explain to your children not only your responsibility but theirs as well as the accompanying dangers.  If anything they will be less frightened and with a clear understanding of your escape / evacuation routine.

When You Are Shelterless

After many disasters you can be left shelterless. In other words you can be homeless.  If you are in a network of likeminded people there is a good chance someone has thought of putting you and your family up for a short period of time.  Better yet would be to look to family and friends. You should check with your neighborhood church or civic organization for private shelter. Organizations such as the Shriners, Masons or Elks. Avoiding a government ran shelter would most likely result in not only meeting like minded individuals but also better odds of humane treatment.

Government shelters. are another option. If all else fails and government shelters become your only viable option remember Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane displaced tens of thousands of people. Many sought temporary shelter in the Superdome because they had planned for nothing. Stories of rape, robbery, battery and even murder were told by many and even if only a portion of the stories are true this is no way of life to wish for your family even if temporary.  Government emergency shelters, while meant  with our wellbeing in mind, are far from ideal. They can even be quite hellish.

If your situation warrants long term housing you can check with many homeless assistance programs. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a website with information on various homeless programs across the United States.

Hud.gov/homeless/index.cfm
Hopefully this never happens and you can avoid a homeless shelter. After all that is the driving point behind why I write on this website.