Evacuation Route Maps You Should Consider
If you and your family are forced to get out of Dodge in a hurry due to a crisis, where will you go and how will you get there?
This is something you should determine in advance, and you should have several alternate paths and destinations mapped out as well because you won’t know in advance which roads might not be passable following a disaster.
Should GPS and other electronic navigation get lost in a crisis – or if they are no longer functioning due to the effects of an EMP – paper maps will rule the day. And if the only map on hand is buried deep in a car glove box and dates to the days when maps were free at gas stations, it’s time for an update.
While city and local highway maps are the first to come to mind, and will be the first needed in an evacuation, there other types of maps that deserve a place in bug-out bags and printed evacuation plans.
Topographical maps use contour lines to visually represent the rise and fall of terrain. During an urban evacuation, it may become necessary to hike cross-country to avoid crowds or barriers. City maps give street details, but won’t show water obstacles or other physical barriers.
State highway maps offer a big-picture look at major highways and roads. They come into play once you have escaped the urban scene.
Forest service maps, or fire road maps, provide an overview of national forests and public lands, and they reveal fire and logging roads. Not all these roads have been approved for automotive use, and some may have overgrown into trails. But they are good paths for ATVs and snowmobiles. And they can offer alternative routes in an evolving situation.
History maps show the routes used by historical figures. While the trails may have become obscured over time, they can still be useful. Remember, these routes were established by wagons and pack trains that could cover them. The path of least resistance could be worth knowing at some point.
River charts show river terrain, hazards and stream topography. That information can help establish a river evacuation route. The maps often highlight good take-out points, landings and dangers.
Hunting maps from state fish and wildlife departments offer insights into wilderness areas such as road closures and terrain.
Be sure to store maps in quart-size zipper style plastic bags. Fold the map being used to display through the plastic for quick and protected reference.
Frank brings up a good point of view. I have learned to always have at lease 4 ways to get out of an area. Why? Because I was in the San Francisco Earthquake in 1989. All major roads were damaged. There was only two ways out of the city. They were both south. Highway 101 southbound was jammed packed. No one could move for eight hours or more. Then there was the state highway 1, which followed the Pacific coast, also south bound. All bridges were closed until fully inspected. Several bridges in the area were damaged so badly that repairs that would take months to bring it normalcy back to the city.
I was in one part of the city and my kids were in a different part of the city. I took back roads to reach them. Then I waited until the roads were clear before I would leave the city and travel north to Mill Valley where my uncle lives. Once there I would drop off my kids, knowing that they were safe then return to San Francisco to see if I can help. I was in the Army stationed at the Presidio. My uncle had a friend that had a boat that came to pier 51 to take us to Stinston, California. It was getting to pier 51 that was the obstacle. One of the highways that circles San Francisco had pancaked itself and people were trying to find survivors.
My point is this always make sure you have several ways out. Be it a room, mall, town, city, state, or country. You never want to depend upon the kindness of your local city, state, or country governments. They are too busy trying to save themselves or trying to figure out what happened. In any case, it took the Bay Area three days to get their act together and see what resources they had available to them to render assistance.
Your job is to have those resources available to you and your family so that you can assist in your own rescue. You may have to leave the area or shelter in place until normalcy is restored.
I had maps of the major, secondary roads. I also had maps that were of the surrounding state parks. I had a trucker’s truck stop book telling me of all the local truck stops in the area. (A trucker’s truck stop book tells me where to get fuel, if they have a place to eat and stay. It is very useful. You can pick one up at any truck stop.)
I keep a set of maps in my car(s) and I keep a set with my bug out bag, BOB. When in doubt just grab and go; knowing that the maps are part of my inventory for leaving.
Now you are thinking where can I get a detail map of my area that will last. At the truck stop. You can get a Rand McNally map book. It has all fifty states and the major cities. Then you can get paper maps of your specific area, which shows even more in greater detail. (Remember, a paper map will tear and wear out over time. Plus things change so you will need to update your maps every 5 years.) If you have a state park near by you can also get a map of the park. It will have water sources, places where you can camp should the need arise and more. Note, you can also get maps of underground telephone lines, gas lines and oil lines if you check with your city government. You will never know when that kind if information will come in to help you out. You can get a fallout shelter map from the city so that you will know which buildings are designated secure and what level that are secure. This information is good to have if you live in Earthquake, tornado or hurricane country. Any port in the storm. Then you want to know about any armories, hospitals, police and fire stations, airports, train stations or bus stations. You can find them all on a map. So take good care of your maps and learn to read them.
Rule of thumb, all numbered roads that are odd go North to South. For example US 1, Hwy 101, US 35 and so on. Even numbered roads go East to West like Hwy 10, 20, 40, 80, 90 and so on.
All roads that are three digits that end in a odd number, circles a major city. For example Hwy 285 surrounds Atlanta, Ga, 475 around Macon, Ga.
If the three digit number is an even number then the highway/road circles the city, but, has one side that is open and the loop is not closed. For example, Hwy 240 Memphis, Tn. One side is Hwy 40, the rest is Hwy 240. Together they circle the city, but, they are two separate highways.
These are the things they don’t tell you as a civilian. Good Luck.
Dear Frank,
Good short article. I’ll send you the chapter I wrote on evac-planning for one of my next books, SURVIVAL 103 – Workplace Disasters.
God Bless,
Orrin
I am so far out in the boon docks I have no clue where else I could go! We gave each of our adult kids county maps from where they live all the way to home. These give details not found on state maps. They can see every stream, rail road tracks, bridges and so much more, even dirt roads.
Cherlynn, what happens if your area was hit with a major fire, flooding, sever storm like a tornado or hurricane? If the roads in your area were closed or destroyed, how else would you and your family escape the area?
Always plan for a different scenario. Always have at least 4 different avenues of escape even if you live in the boonies.
As always…Great ideas and information on this site…Very useful…Thank you !!! 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀