October’s poll dealt with your town’s evacuation plan and if you felt it was
up to date. The results are as follows:

• Definitely – 8% (2)
• Possibly – 8% (2)
• Not Sure – 44% (11)
• No Way – 40% (10)

This was based on a total of 25 respondents.

It is shocking yet in a way comforting to see how many responded as no way.
Having a background in fire and life safety, I can safely say that you would be
shocked to see how out of date your town’s evacuation plan most likely is. If
you are near your town hall, you should stop in and ask to see it just to make
sure they are updating it.

Factors affecting evacuation plans change on nearly a monthly basis. Roads
get closed or re-routed. Subdivisions can be built and nursing homes or
hospitals open and close. These all affect that evacuation plan. Most towns
actually write an evacuation plan then think “well that’s done” and file it
away. This hurricane season should hopefully wake up most town leaders to this
lazy approach but I fear it won’t. Take some time to check with your town public
safety department and make sure they are staying up to date on evacuation plans.

This month’s poll has to do with the leak investigation. I want to get the
views of readers on how they compare it to Watergate. Please take a moment to