Summary
New policies from the Trump Administration have undermined FEMA and tasked states with managing disasters, leaving local officials uncertain about how to handle evacuation decision-making and communication during hurricane season.
Two Major Ways the Trump Administration is Making Hurricane Evacuations More Difficult
When a mandatory evacuation is called ahead of a hurricane, highways fill with cars heading away from the coast.
“One of the mantras of the field is make sure your gas tank never goes below half full during the summer,” said Stephen Murphy, the director of Tulane University’s disaster management program.
Evacuations can save lives. But calling an evacuation that residents perceive as unnecessary after the storm passes can degrade trust and make people less likely to evacuate the next time, which can leave state and local leaders reluctant to call for mandatory evacuations.
In past years, officials weighing a decision ahead of a storm have been able to turn to highly accurate forecasts from the National Weather Service. And they knew that when they called an evacuation, the federal government would back them with money and other support. This year, these previously reliable federal services come with major question marks.
The story continues in Yale Climate Connections.
