Why we should not demonize residents who refuse to evacuate during hurricanes

By Jacob DeFlitch

Predictions for Hurricane Matthew were reasonably good. Meteorologists, emergency managers and elected leaders effectively made the case that it was a dangerous storm. Evacuation orders were issued. Yet, some were ignored. And, where they were followed, some may have backfired.

Meteorologists and public officials sometimes seem shocked when residents are reluctant to evacuate. Sometimes we criticize those who refuse to leave. But it would be more constructive to better understand them.

The reasons for staying home are complex. They are frequently not due to ignorance or complacency, but a result of the enormous disruption and even hardship that vacating one’s home presents. In other cases, they reflect a failure of meteorologists to characterize the range of dangerous hazards a hurricane poses, in addition to solely wind, which residents may not adequately appreciate.