If your county happened to have a mandatory evacuation due to a hurricane’s appearance nearby, would you stay, or go? Lately, this question has been brought up to a lot of people who live in the cities that were affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. Why is it even called “mandatory” when so many people refuse to follow order and decide to not leave? According to law experts, a person can be fired for evacuating during a hurricane and not showing up for work if it is a non-union private sector job. Although this situation is not very likely to happen, it is one of the many reasons why people choose to stay at home during this traumatic event.
Evacuating is not really an option for many people. The Huffington Post made a point that the majority can’t leave because of either financial, medical, or even transportation-related issues. Some people simply can’t get out of their homes and don’t have anyone to help them if they’re disabled in some way. Some won’t leave in fear of their home being damaged, or they’ve already been through a similar experience and feel confident enough in their ability to survive this one. Residents should call their local emergency management services to find out where to go and how to get there if resources are an issue.
So, would you stay or would you go? It’s a good question to ask yourself if you live in a state that could be affected by any natural disaster, just to know if you’re prepared, or even capable of leaving.