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Emergency Evacuation Routes

Wide-scale, mass evacuations in Philadelphia are rare. It is more likely that localized, small-scale evacuations may happen. If necessary, officials will take actions to alleviate the emergency and to prepare for an evacuation. In either case, if officials tell you to evacuate, it is imperative that you are prepared ahead of time so that you may leave immediately.
 
About the Evacuation Routes
 
Beginning in 2007, the Managing Director's Office of Emergency Management (MDO-OEM) began the planning process for evacuations in Philadelphia. Working in cooperation with 25 organizations and nearly 80 individual partners, MDO-OEM examined the city’s road network and analyzed demographic data to identify evacuation routes for:  
  • All vehicles and pedestrians
  • Private vehicles only
  • Pedestrians and mass transit vehicles only 
  • Emergency vehicles only

Evacuation routes are grouped into Evacuation Zones.  Evacuation Zones are organized around Philadelphia Police Department Districts. For example, if you live in Police Department District 4, you are also in Evacuation Zone 4.

Developing the Evacuation Routes

As part of the evacuation planning process, MDO-OEM examined the following criteria and their impact on evacuating communities: 
  • Total population and total households
  • Dominant languages spoken
  • Vulnerability factors, such as:
    • Poverty level
    • Age
    • Disability
    • Access to vehicles
    • Home and bed bound
    • Life support
  • Healthcare facilities
    • Hospitals
    • Nursing homes
    • Retirement homes
    • Personal care homes
    • Adult day care
  • Schools
  • Traffic data
  • Critical infrastructure
Communities with Unique Needs 

Special evacuation plans have been developed for communities with unique needs, such as: Center City where there are numerous high-rise buildings and South and Southwest Philadelphia where there are several sports and entertainment arenas, a major refinery, and the international airport. Additional plans are in development for other areas of the City.
 
Know your Evacuation Routes - Divisions | Zones

Division Overviews - Click an area on the map below to view a divisional overview of the evacuation routes, or click here to download a complete map book of the evacuation routes citywide (8 MB).

Evacuation Region Overviews East OverviewNorthwest OverviewNortheast OverviewSouth OverviewSouthwest OverviewSouthwest OverviewCentral DivisionCentral Overview

Evacuation Zones - Click a zone on the map below to view the evacuation routes, or click here to download a complete map book of the evacuation routes citywide (8 MB).

 Zone 8Zone 15Zone 2Zone 7Zone 24Zone 25Zone 26Zone 35Zone 14Zone 5Zone 39Zone 22Zone 19Zone 16Zone 6Zone 12Zone 18Zone 9Zone 4Zone 3Zone 1Zone 17
Be Ready to Evacuate
 
Sign up for Ready Notify PA to receive emergency text and email alerts. Stay tuned to your radio and/or television for further instructions. The media will tell you what you need to know to prepare to evacuate. 

To learn more about what to do during an evacuation, click here.

 

 

Zone 8Zone 15Zone 2Zone 7Zone 35Zone 39Zone 5Zone 14Zone 25Zone 24Zone 26Zone 12Zone 19Zone 16Zone 18Zone 22Zone 6Zone 9Zone 3Zone 17Zone 1


 
 
  
 
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