# What does "mandatory evacuation" really mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mandatory-evacuation-really-mean/594500>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 29, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mandatory-evacuation-really-mean/594500 "2011-08-29T15:47:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mandatory-evacuation-really-mean/594500/1 "2011-08-29T15:47:30Z")

</div>

I mean, I assume they don’t go door-to-door and physically drag the stragglers out.

Does it just mean “Leave. Now. or you get no help from us whatsoever”?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mandatory-evacuation-really-mean/594500/2 "2011-08-29T15:59:38Z")

</div>

I was camping in Maryland on the shore years ago when a bad storm occurred. There was a “mandatory evacuation” with park rangers using bullhorns. I asked if we had to leave and he said, “it’s your ass”. We stayed and had a thrilling (scary) ride of our lives.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mandatory-evacuation-really-mean/594500/3 "2011-08-29T16:03:23Z")

</div>

> **[How mandatory are mandatory evacuations?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=621973)**
>
> New York City issues first mandatory evacuations in city history Not arguing the wisdom of evacuation one way or the other, just wondering how mandatory is such an evacuation? Legally, can the city force individuals to evacuate? Even if there is...

Already active thread.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mandatory-evacuation-really-mean/594500/4 "2011-08-29T16:35:09Z")

</div>

> [@Mama\_Zappa](#):
>
> Does it just mean “Leave. Now. or you get no help from us whatsoever”?

Basically, yes. It means that if you stay, and then get in trouble later, nobody will be coming to your rescue. At least, not until the disaster has passed and they have nothing better to do.