Get Ready to Evacuate

WHEN TO USE THISDo this before the order comes. When it's time to go, you follow a plan — you don't make one.

Know two ways out
- A main route and a backup. Drive both once.
- Mark them on a paper map.
- Know your evacuation zone and where the shelters are.
- Sign up for your county's alerts.
Go-bags ready
- One per person, by the door or in the car. (See Build a Go-Bag.)
- Water and food you filled yourself: swap every 6 months. Check medicine dates.
- Gas tank at least half full, always.
- Cash in small bills. Spare car keys in the bag.
Leaving the house
- Time allowing: unplug appliances.
- Shut off utilities if officials tell you to. (See Shut Off Home Utilities.)
- Lock up.
- A note on the door: where you're going, when you left.
- Quick video walk-through for insurance.
- Photos, heirlooms, papers — if they fit.
Pets and people who need help
- Pets get their own bag. Many shelters don't take pets. (See Evacuate With Pets.)
- Anyone with a disability: pack their equipment first — mobility aids, oxygen, dialysis supplies, communication devices.
- Check on neighbors who'll need help leaving.

Sources: FEMA / Ready.gov Evacuation Guidelines · American Red Cross Evacuation Checklist

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.

Know two ways out