During the time of Hurricane Harvey, Texas officials influenced by travel logistics decided against ordering an evacuation thinking the risks of a mass evacuation outweighed the risks posed by the storm. In 2005, 118 storms related deaths occurred because of the evacuation and resulting from heat stroke, violence, and other dangers. According to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner “You literally cannot put 6.5 million people on the road, if you think the situation right now is bad — you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare.”
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Mass evacuations during Irma too faced grid locks in the states long and narrow peninsula reported CNN. Even flying wasn’t an option due to cancelled flights and expensive last-minute tickets even though several Airlines like American Airlines stated that they weren’t hiking their fares which is illegal in an emergency. But even then, flight tickets were soon lapped up and for people without the financial means, a flight was out of the question as it would have to be a round trip to return. For the destitute, even a $180 round trip bus ticket was unaffordable. For those who do have the money, there is always the question of accommodation which is difficult especially when you have no family or friends outside Florida.
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Nonprofit NGO’s like Camillus House in Miami who provide shelter to the homeless prepared a week before Irma to make room for those who had nowhere to go. The house can hold 1100 people but can make room for an additional 100. The NGO stocked up supplies and sought out volunteers who helped in making sandbags and sandwiches. Sam Gil VP of communications and marketing at Camillus stated “For the city’s most underserved demographics, nonprofits like Camillus House could be their only refuge. For folks who are homeless, they’re stuck. They’re not moving because they don’t have a means of getting out of here, it’s very, very difficult.”
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