Even as natural disasters and other threats become more common, cities are struggling to put together or completely ignoring the possibility of assembling comprehensive disaster preparedness plans. A recent study conducted by a team at Florida Atlantic University has found that, of America’s 50 largest cities, only seven have developed plans which would provide a strong framework for evacuation, in the event of an emergency, with those primarily being located in coastal regions, according to an article in The Hill.
The study looked into the changes that had been made in evacuation plans for cities over the last decade, producing a ranking based on categories including special needs registries, pick-up location plans, pedestrian evacuation plans, and other factors which could indicate readiness. At the top of the list of those with comprehensive plans were Charlotte, NC, Cleveland, and Jacksonville, while cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Las Vegas either didn’t have any plans at all, or declined to make them available to researchers.
Says John L. Renne, professor and director at the Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions and co-author of the paper, to The Hill, “While it is promising that more cities are developing evacuation plans, overall, it remains disheartening that not every city was able to learn the lessons of not being prepared, especially for carless and vulnerable populations, as showcased to the nation during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.”
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