Thoughts on Hurricane Irene and the evacuation of NYC

By Debra Eilering

As architects and designers, we are responsible for the safety of the occupants that inhabit our finished products, however, how do we prepare for a planned evacuation? Does it differ than planning for an emergency evacuation? What considerations need to be addressed and how do you decide where to go, particularly when the need for life support and/or personal care is necessary?? Where are the generators if the electricity goes out?

NYC Mayor Bloomberg orders nursing home evacuations before Irene hits

(8/26/2011)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a press conference Thursday ordered eight nursing homes and five hospitals in Zone A low-lying areas to evacuate by 8 p.m. Friday in anticipation of hurricane Irene.

“Our first obligation I want to talk about is to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers—hospital patients, those in nursing homes and homes for aged and also New Yorkers who because of age or infirmity are homebound,” Bloomberg said.

Zone A neighborhoods include Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn; Far Rockaway and Broad Channel in Queens; South Beach, Midland Beach and other low-lying areas on Staten Island; and Battery Park City in Manhattan.

Long Term Living, August 26, 2011

Emergency procedures are in place for most, if not all, public buildings. We are encouraged to practice procedures for flood, fire and etc while at home. Regardless of where we are, it is a tragic part of life when we are displaced. Check out this map of the New York city area and imagine how, as a designer, you could be better equipped to facilitate a planned evacuation: http://crisislanding.appspot.com/?crisis=2011_hurricane_irene_nyc

The preliminary predictions has forced an evacuation plan for 10 different states. How do the requirements differ for each state? Hurricanes bring several threats, high wind, flooding, hail, electrical failure and concurrent risk of electrical shock, salt water intrusion and it's long term effects on fresh water reservoirs and so on. The risk of living on the coast or near the ocean is expected but what happens when the damage from hurricanes moves inland?
Some code related information:
http://www.nfba.org/i4a/headlines/headlinedetails.cfm?id=38&archive=1
http://users.ntua.gr/stpapath/Paper_2.72.pdf
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/high_winds.shtml
http://www.inspectapedia.com/structure/FloodVents.htm