Alleviate bottlenecks to improve evacuation

Over the past few days, mandatory and voluntary evacuations were ordered, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to seek a safe place to ride out the storm. The government eliminated the toll charges in order to lessen any hardship associated with travel.

What they didn’t do was work with local highway organizations to cease construction and make roads passable. Because of this, unesseccary bottlenecks were scattered all over the roads, causing travel time to increase by two or three times. People are ordered to leave and then experience routes that were impassable. Interstate 95 north had one and two-lane closures from construction (cones in the road blocking lanes that appear to be perfectly drivable).

My suggestion is that someone should be looking at these bottlenecks and working with municipalities to improve driving conditions. objects, dangerous materials, dangerous wildlife, contaminated water, downed power lines or other hazards.

Do not allow pets to roam free outdoors until the area is safe for them to do so. They could encounter dangerous wildlife and debris if allowed outside unsupervised and unrestrained. In addition, familiar scents and landmarks may have changed, and this can confuse your pets.

Allow uninterrupted rest and sleep to allow your pets to recover from the trauma and stress of the evacuation and disaster.

The disruption of routine activities can be the biggest cause of stress for your pets, so try to reestablish a normal schedule as quickly as you can.

Comfort each other. The simple act of petting and snuggling can reduce anxiety for both people and pets.

If you notice any signs of stress, discomfort, or illness in your pets, contact your veterinarian to schedule a checkup.

For more information on pets and disasters, visit the AVMA website at avma.org/PetReady.