Fire Protection Research Foundation report: "Mass Evacuation and Sheltering” (PDF, 486 KB)
Author: Bryan L. Hoskins and Keagan D. Lacey, Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology, Oklahoma State University
Date of issue: May 2016
Introduction
In 2013, NFPA embarked on the development of NFPA 1616, Standard for Mass Evacuation and Sheltering. The Technical Committee on Mass Evacuation and Sheltering is responsible for the administration of this activity, and they are in the process of seeking to clarify the available literature and other applicable detailed information in support of this effort.
A compilation of the different laws and how these laws are implemented through the local emergency management infrastructure is recognized as useful information for the NFPA 1616 effort. Currently in the United States, each state empowers the Governor to take actions in time of disaster, but the authority to order and enforce such an order differs in each jurisdictional area. The purpose of this project is to provide a compendium of state mandatory evacuation laws and the mechanism for the enforcement of such laws.