Home and city
Evacuate in 5 minutes
Evacuation order, fire approaching, or water rising at your door.
Do this nowTap each step when done
- 1Leave now if officials order an evacuation. Don't wait to "see what happens."
- 2Assign tasks: pets, medicines, documents, backpacks to the car.
- 3Put a leash and harness on your pets before opening the door.
- 4Take what saves lives: medicines, glasses, cell phones, chargers, keys, wallet.
- 5Load the 72-hour backpacks, documents in a waterproof bag, and water.
- 6Lock up and leave a note inside: who, time, and destination.
- 7Send a text to your out-of-state contact: time and destination.
Don't
- Don't cross moving water. Turn around.
- Don't go out driving if they ask you to shelter in place.
- Don't leave your pets alone in the car, not even for a minute.
Have ready
- Tanks above half in all your cars.
- 3 destinations and 2 routes for each, on paper.
- Carriers or harnesses, tag, and photo of each pet.
Key factRoutes: your state's highway website. Shelters: 211 or 311. If the cars get separated, nobody stops on the shoulder: go on to the next meeting point.
More detail
Reviewed: Nov 2026 · Sources: Chapter 24 · Vehicle evacuation
