In the aftermath of the Huston area evacuation during the threat from Hurricane Rita, lessons were learned. But these same lessons were experience just one generation ago. Too bad no one took in consideration the possibilities of a massive evacuation.
I remember in the 1980s, when the cold war was at its peak Connecticut was identified as a nuclear target by the Russians. All the major cities developed evacuation plans which everyone would evacuate. Sister communities were designated, that were likely to be targeted.
The towns of Burlington, Connecticut and Becket, Massachusetts, however, decided in September 1982 to put FEMA's CRP plan to a test. But the Burlington Organization for the Movement of Bodies to Safety (BOMBS) and the Becket League to Assist the Scorched and Terrified (BLAST) set about in a less serious fashion than perhaps FEMA would have preferred. After a cablegram was sent to the Soviet government, advising it that Burlington's actions would not be a prelude to nuclear attack, about 150 spirited Burlington residents drove the 65 miles up Route 8 to Becket, halting on two occasions because autos ran out of gas. Upon reaching the host community, residents were welcomed with the sign, "Water contaminated, cold beer ahead" while two teenagers in surgical masks ominously scanned entrants with Geiger counters. The citizens of Becket saluted the evacuees for carrying out the exercise in less than three of the allotted four hours, as well as executing the requirement to haul innumerable portable toilets and boxes of diapers.
Participants, of course, realized that the host community of Becket was located 12 miles from a General Electric plant that produced parts for the Polaris missile, making it a prime target for nuclear attack. Recognizing the futility of it all, Mrs. Bill Tomaney, one of the BOMBS organizers, said that if there really was an attack, Becket residents "would all be in Canada by the time we got there." Still, such sober thoughts were not allowed to puncture the euphoric spirit of a block party. The drill was followed by a parade and the presentation of a charred key to the city of Burlington. In this nation-wide debate, civil defense was considered so fantastic, so impossible to implement, that it became a subject to be ridiculed as much as be debated. (The Civil Defense Debate in the 1980s)
Drills were conducted but it was discovered that there would be major problems. It was foreseen there would be major traffic jams. There would be a shortage of fuel and food. And no one would get to safety before the bombs dropped. Plus not everyone would be able to get out because of lack of transportation.
Also, even though during these drills there was only very small portion taking part the communities welcomed these "evacuee's". But under real condition it was surmised that because of the possible scarcity of food and other needed communities, these communities may not really welcome the evacuee's.
Back then, the plans were finally abandoned. They did not take into consideration they would only have about 30 minutes of warning.
Let's hope those who develop these emergency evacuation plans have learned something from this experience.