Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

There is a body of literature studying issues related to evacuation and disruptions due to these natural hazards, including the perspective of the agencies in charge, businesses that may see disruptions in their supply chains, and residents faced with the prospect of having to leave their homes. Specifically, several studies discuss the characteristics of individual households and how do these characteristics affect the probability of evacuation in an extreme event

Here, we attempt to fill this gap in knowledge by examining (1) the inter-dependencies that affect the individual evacuation decision; (2) the characteristics of the decisions made by evacuees; and (3) the relationship between infrastructure and evacuation decisions, including the electricity system, the fuel and gas network, and health care services.

We analyze infrastructure, economic and demographic factors affecting the decisions to evacuate, and study the behavior of evacuees.

To answer these questions, we study the experience faced by residents in Florida due to Hurricane Irma in 2017, and their effects on the evacuation patterns observed. For that purpose, we use a unique dataset collected after Irma, with information about evacuation patterns for counties affected by this event, and present analysis of the responses provided to our survey.

Our analysis of the evacuation decisions prior to Hurricane Irma provides evidence of the impact that infrastructure disruptions can have on the population. For example, electricity interruptions and power outages are a concern for all people in an area subject to an extreme event, can affect the perception of recovery, and were widespread after Hurricane Irma.