24.12 Evacuating without a vehicle

If the cars do not work, there is no gas, or not everyone fits:

1. Call your city's services line (311 in many cities) or 211. In an official evacuation, the city announces whether it is organizing transportation and from where. Have your 72-hour bags ready: space on a bus is limited.
2. Public transit: know the routes near your home (chapter 9). In emergencies, public transit can support the city with buses; follow the official notices.
3. Your state's emergency assistance registry: if anyone in the household has a disability, medical or functional needs, or will need transportation to evacuate, register them in your state's emergency assistance registry (ask 211 or your emergency management office): online, by dialing 2-1-1, or with a paper form, depending on your state. It is free and voluntary; a family member can register them with their permission. It does not guarantee service: local planners use it, and every city uses it differently. In many states the information lasts one year: re-register every year.
4. Neighbors: agree today on who takes whom (chapter 9, neighbor network).
5. On foot: only as a last resort and toward a specific point (shelter, pickup point). Bring enough water, a hat, comfortable shoes, and your pets on a leash; walk during the cooler hours. Never walk through floodwater.