When disaster strikes in your area, evacuating safely can save your life. Here are four important things you can do to protect your health and the health of others in a disaster.
- Listen to Local Officials. Listen to the news to learn about current evacuation orders. Follow the instructions of local officials about when and where to evacuate.
- Bring the Essentials. Take only essential items with you. Follow designated evacuation routes – others may be blocked–and expect heavy traffic.
- Find Open Shelters. Use the American Red Cross shelter locator to find a shelter near you that is operated by the Red Cross or one of their partner agencies. If you need to leave your home due to a disaster or emergency, you are welcome to come to a Red Cross shelter. Your service animal is also welcome. Please speak with a shelter worker if your service animal is in need of food or supplies.
- Evacuating with pets. Although service animals are allowed in all evacuation centers, pets are not allowed in many disaster evacuation centers. Before you go to a shelter, check to make sure that the shelter you are going to accepts pets. Bring the basics with you: food, water, a leash, identification, and any medicines that they are taking. To learn more, check out Ready.gov Pets and Animals.
