Taylor County Evacuation Map
Evacuation orders are carefully considered by the County's Commissioners and its Emergency Response Team and are issued to emphasize the need for residents and visitors to seek safety away from a hazard's most deadly effects - mainly storm surge, dangerous high winds, and flooding. Evacuation levels are mainly based on forecasted inundation levels by the surge driven ashore during a storm, but the velocity and duration of a storm's winds are also taken into consideration. Regardless of whether or not an evacuation order may be issued for a particular area, the Emergency Management Department recommends that every resident familiarize themselves with County's designated evacuation routes and have a plan on how to use these routes to quickly and efficiently evacuate the area should a hazard threaten the resident's ability to shelter-in-place.
The two types of evacuations issued by the Board of County Commissioners are Voluntary and Mandatory Evacuations. The difference in the two designations relies mainly on the characteristics of the hazard threatening the County and its probability of to cause damage that may lead to the loss of life, injury, or destruction of property. A Voluntary Evacuation Order is issued when there is a significant threat to the area and the probability of widespread destruction is low. A Voluntary Evacuation Order is meant to emphasize to residents that a significant threat exists and residents living in mobile homes, flood prone areas, older homes susceptible to high winds, or residents requiring extra assistance consider evacuating to a safer area until the threat passes. A Mandatory Evacuation Order is issued when there is a high probability that a hazard threatening the County could have the potential to create widespread destruction that could threaten the lives and safety of residents and visitors. By issuing a Mandatory Evacuation Order, the Board of County Commissioners is sending a message to residents and visitors that serious threat to the County exists and residents and visitors need to take immediate action to seek safe shelter away from the threatened area.
KNOW YOUR ZONE - EVACUATION ZONES
Primary Evacuation Routes, Taylor County
