Why don't people evacuate when given the chance? (season, USA, compared)
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Some people on this thread obviously live in some fantasy world where everything is wonderful and you won't lose your job because you don't show up. In the real world, as long as the business is open, they expect you to report for work. People who live paycheck to paycheck just can't decide they aren't going to work. The real world doesn't work that way.
Why are businesses that do not provide essential services open during a natural disaster? First responders, medical personnel, and utility workers need to be at work under these circumstances. (Apparently, so, too, do news reporters.) I would also include anyone whose job it is to provide care to vulnerable persons in a nursing home or similar facility. People who work in these occupations know when they take the job that being available in an emergency goes with the territory, and generally remain at work and do multiple shifts when it becomes unsafe to travel to and from work. They aren't expected to be in transit during dangerous conditions; in fact, they are strongly encouraged not to be. At a certain point, even first responders won't be dispatched until the greatest danger has abated.
The rest of us have jobs that can wait, and we don't get fired for putting our personal safety ahead of business that, in most circumstances, cannot resume normal operations until after the threat has passed. People who own or run businesses don't live in a vacuum; they are also impacted by the same weather phenomenon that affects their employees. They also have families to worry about and keep safe. Firing employees who can't get to work because they evacuated or are stranded is probably not uppermost in their thoughts. Even if they are located remotely, they tend to be understanding of what is happening and make allowances for their employees who are not able to report to work.
I have been unable to get to work because a winter storm dumped nearly three feet of snow in a 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday, and on Monday the roads still weren't cleared. I have been unable to get to work because a catastrophic earthquake devastated large swaths of my city, destroying portions of a major highway and many roads making travel difficult in the extreme. I have been unable to go to work because the terminus of the bus line I needed to get there was in a riot zone, and service was suspended. I was never fired or even "spoken to." I also live in the "real world," and I doubt that my experiences are unique. This notion that people will lose their jobs if they don't risk life and limb to show up to work during a hurricane is more than a little silly.
Why are businesses that do not provide essential services open during a natural disaster? First responders, medical personnel, and utility workers need to be at work under these circumstances. (Apparently, so, too, do news reporters.) I would also include anyone whose job it is to provide care to vulnerable persons in a nursing home or similar facility. People who work in these occupations know when they take the job that being available in an emergency goes with the territory, and generally remain at work and do multiple shifts when it becomes unsafe to travel to and from work. They aren't expected to be in transit during dangerous conditions; in fact, they are strongly encouraged not to be. At a certain point, even first responders won't be dispatched until the greatest danger has abated.
The rest of us have jobs that can wait, and we don't get fired for putting our personal safety ahead of business that, in most circumstances, cannot resume normal operations until after the threat has passed. People who own or run businesses don't live in a vacuum; they are also impacted by the same weather phenomenon that affects their employees. They also have families to worry about and keep safe. Firing employees who can't get to work because they evacuated or are stranded is probably not uppermost in their thoughts. Even if they are located remotely, they tend to be understanding of what is happening and make allowances for their employees who are not able to report to work.
I have been unable to get to work because a winter storm dumped nearly three feet of snow in a 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday, and on Monday the roads still weren't cleared. I have been unable to get to work because a catastrophic earthquake devastated large swaths of my city, destroying portions of a major highway and many roads making travel difficult in the extreme. I have been unable to go to work because the terminus of the bus line I needed to get there was in a riot zone, and service was suspended. I was never fired or even "spoken to." I also live in the "real world," and I doubt that my experiences are unique. This notion that people will lose their jobs if they don't risk life and limb to show up to work during a hurricane is more than a little silly.
It's not about getting fired, it's about loss of income. I don't get sick days or benefits in my job, if I'm not at work I don't get paid.
It's not about getting fired, it's about loss of income. I don't get sick days or benefits in my job, if I'm not at work I don't get paid.
The post that I quoted specifically mentioned people being in danger of losing their jobs.
I have also worked under circumstances that are similar to yours. I would still miss a few days of work (and pay) before I would subject myself to danger. Income can be made up, and budgets can be tightened. I can't get my life back.
The post that I quoted specifically mentioned people being in danger of losing their jobs.
I have also worked under circumstances that are similar to yours. I would still miss a few days of work (and pay) before I would subject myself to danger. Income can be made up, and budgets can be tightened. I can't get my life back.
That's fine, that's your decision. The thread asked why people don't evacuate, and that was simply one of the reasons offered.
First let me say, I live in a relatively "safe" weather area, while we occasionally get a nor'easter, I haven't lived through hurricanes (we did have sandy) wild fires or any other natural disaster. So I totally don't know what's involved with storm preparation.
Anyway I'm looking at the news and people along the coast of NC and SC have been told to evacuate and there are always those who want to "ride it out". Seriously? I can imagine it's a pain to have to pick up and leave and the stress must be high but I can't imagine thinking you'd win a battle with mother nature. Isn't a Category 4 hurricane serious enough to leave?
I saw the same thing in California with the wild fires. You're looking at fire out your kitchen window and you want to stay?
Why?
Because they don't think "it" will happen to them. They don't consider that they put someone else's life in danger rescuing them and how limited personnel are available for rescue operations forcing some to work days at time without rest or sleep to save everyone. What's going to happen will happen whether you are there when it does or not. With all sympathy for the situation but it serves no purpose to stay.
It's almost the same kinda thing why anyone wants to live on top of a major earthquake fault line and that people just flock there regardless of the 10,000 earthquakes they have in an average year.
Or how many people converge for a lovely vacation on an island that is actually an active volcano. Knocks all the beauty into a low denominator in my view.
The Roman city of Pompeii was really beautiful once too but deadly things happen when you live in the valley of Mount Vesuvius.
I havent read all of the replies, just the first page.
We live in Southwest Florida, and we were in the direct path of Hurricane Irma last year, according to the weather reports. We hemmed and hawed about evacuating and ended up staying. I was scared, but staying seemed safer than leaving. Reasons why:
1. We have a large, high-needs dog. Although the shelters near us all said you could bring pets, he would not have been able to go because he is other-dog aggressive. He also has an anxiety disorder and would be screaming and barking and shaking the whole time in a strange place with other dogs. There was just no way that was going to work and unless our lives were in immediate danger, we were absolutely not going to leave him behind.
2. The highways were congested and it was taking hours and hours and hours for people go get off of the peninsula. There are only two major highways leaving Florida, and millions of people were on them. Gas stations were running out of gas. Was it safe to pack up two kids and our neurotic dog to attempt to get out of the state when a hurricane was threatening to hit? What if we found ourselves and thousands of hundreds of thousands of others stranded on the highway with no gas when the storm started?
3. Our home was built in 2004 and to the current hurricane standards. It is a cement block home with metal roof straps. We are not in a flood zone and our yard is built up maybe four or five feet above the level of the road.
With all of those things put together, it made sense to stay. And the hurricane passed by to the east of us, so we had a very rainy, windy storm and that was all. At my house, we didn't even lose power, but about half of my street did, so we were just lucky there. Some of my friends had to evacuate after the fact despite not being in a flood zone because the river backed up and caused major flooding on their streets. Again, we were lucky; we had only a little bit of water on our street (inches, maybe a foot in some places) and it had receded by the next day.
If we were on a barrier island or in a flood zone, I think we would have made a different choice. If we didn't have the dog, we probably would have evacuated north. We have the financial means and a reliable vehicle and family living in other states. We had considered going to my aunt's house in North Carolina, which is about 12 hours by car, before hearing about the traffic jams and lack of gasoline. But there are many people who have neither extra money nor family nor the ability to take off from work for enough days to allow for an evacuation several days in advance of a storm that might or might hit. If you're in an area where hurricanes frequently hit, you could find yourself evacuating two or three times per summer, which is just not feasible for many people.
Why are businesses that do not provide essential services open during a natural disaster? First responders, medical personnel, and utility workers need to be at work under these circumstances. (Apparently, so, too, do news reporters.) I would also include anyone whose job it is to provide care to vulnerable persons in a nursing home or similar facility. People who work in these occupations know when they take the job that being available in an emergency goes with the territory, and generally remain at work and do multiple shifts when it becomes unsafe to travel to and from work. They aren't expected to be in transit during dangerous conditions; in fact, they are strongly encouraged not to be. At a certain point, even first responders won't be dispatched until the greatest danger has abated.
The rest of us have jobs that can wait, and we don't get fired for putting our personal safety ahead of business that, in most circumstances, cannot resume normal operations until after the threat has passed. People who own or run businesses don't live in a vacuum; they are also impacted by the same weather phenomenon that affects their employees. They also have families to worry about and keep safe. Firing employees who can't get to work because they evacuated or are stranded is probably not uppermost in their thoughts. Even if they are located remotely, they tend to be understanding of what is happening and make allowances for their employees who are not able to report to work.
I have been unable to get to work because a winter storm dumped nearly three feet of snow in a 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday, and on Monday the roads still weren't cleared. I have been unable to get to work because a catastrophic earthquake devastated large swaths of my city, destroying portions of a major highway and many roads making travel difficult in the extreme. I have been unable to go to work because the terminus of the bus line I needed to get there was in a riot zone, and service was suspended. I was never fired or even "spoken to." I also live in the "real world," and I doubt that my experiences are unique. This notion that people will lose their jobs if they don't risk life and limb to show up to work during a hurricane is more than a little silly.
Seriously? In which nirvana do you live. In SC, almost all businesses were open. The people who work at minimum wage jobs don't just take off. It's completely unreasonable to think it doesn't happen. You don't say where you live, but it isn't anywhere I've ever lived.
Pets. It's always the reason I usually have not evacuated, and I'm on the Texas Gulf Coast. Shelters don't accept pets, many hotels don't accept them, and even the hotels that do accept them are often prohibitively expensive. Who can afford $130 or $150/night to stay at a hotel when we may be there for more than a week? What happens after our money runs out? Where do we go then?
Generally, motels in the south, from my experience, were much cheaper than in north or northwest. But, even at $75 it still adds up, and if you don't have that much money available, it doesn't matter how much it costs, anyway.
I think RedRoof Inn is around $75 and takes pets. Of course, when everybody flees, prices will go up...
But, if the money is not available, it's important to try sleeping in the car, so that it registers as an option, when the time comes. Up until last year, I myself had no idea, that at 6'3" would fit into my Jeep, but after watching some youtube videos, tried it out and found out that I can actually sleep there, with my dog, just fine. I've made 2-week trips just sleeping in my car, finding out that it's soooo much more comfortable than checking into motels, you just pull up the moment you need to take a nap, at any gas station/rest area and thus always are rested (never the case with motels for me). Totally beats finding motels, moving your stuff in/out, and even paying for that
If your back seats recline, try it out - you never know when it might save your life.
Besides, when disaster hits, your car will be the only dwelling you have.
Of course, if you have a truck that eats 8 miles per gallon, it might not be affordable to drive 500 miles either. Doesn't 100 miles usually suffice ? Though, in Florida ...
Generally, motels in the south, from my experience, were much cheaper than in north or northwest. But, even at $75 it still adds up, and if you don't have that much money available, it doesn't matter how much it costs, anyway.
I think RedRoof Inn is around $75 and takes pets. Of course, when everybody flees, prices will go up...
But, if the money is not available, it's important to try sleeping in the car, so that it registers as an option, when the time comes. Up until last year, I myself had no idea, that at 6'3" would fit into my Jeep, but after watching some youtube videos, tried it out and found out that I can actually sleep there, with my dog, just fine. I've made 2-week trips just sleeping in my car, finding out that it's soooo much more comfortable than checking into motels, you just pull up the moment you need to take a nap, at any gas station/rest area and thus always are rested (never the case with motels for me). Totally beats finding motels, moving your stuff in/out, and even paying for that
If your back seats recline, try it out - you never know when it might save your life.
Besides, when disaster hits, your car will be the only dwelling you have.
Of course, if you have a truck that eats 8 miles per gallon, it might not be affordable to drive 500 miles either. Doesn't 100 miles usually suffice ? Though, in Florida ...
Just as an aside, but during and after Sandy almost all hotels and motels in the tri-state area here charged much more than their normal rates.
Just as an aside, but during and after Sandy almost all hotels and motels in the tri-state area here charged much more than their normal rates.
All the more reason to get prepared now and experiment with sleeping in your own car whi!e in the safety and comfort of your home while it's still there.
On YouTube, there are hundred channels about people's experiences and tips with sleeping in the car.
I used to frown upon this concept in past too, but It's incredible how much more comfortable this is compared to hotels. It completely reverses the question into : "How much is your hotel going to pay me to sleep here? What? You want me to pay? Sir, you must be a comedian!" : )
It's one of those things you smash your head against the wall - why didn't i try this 20 years ago - any time your body requests a rest, you just pull over - no more waiting till getting to hotel , you actually enjoy the drive, save money and feel much better.
You can do 1,000 miles in 24 hours, at legal speeds, something impossible with hotels, since you're forced to check out and drive at rush hour with literally everybody else out there. Not so when you sleep in car - it makes it natural to cruise through empty roads at night and just sleep through rush hour...
And don't get me started on finding pet-friendly hotel...
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