| Evacuation Clearance Times: The time necessary to safely evacuate people from the point when the evacuation order is given until the last evacuee can either leave the evacuation zone, or arrive at safe shelter within the County. |
Southwest Florida has been identified as the hardest place in the country to evacuate in a disaster due to our large population and limited road system. What does this mean for you?
You need to evacuate early, and absolutely no later than when an evacuation order is given.
Moving people in Lee County can take up to 41 hours, and that time only increases once you leave the County. It can take up to 89 hours to evacuate out of Southwest Florida simply because of the roadways. When Emergency Management issues evacuation orders, we realize the weather may be beautiful outside; however, it won't be for long, and we need you to reach safety before the danger reaches our world-famous beaches.
Read a more detailed, printable explanation of Evacuation Clearance Times, or read it using JAWS software.