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Your comprehensive, actionable guide to navigating emergencies in New York.
This guide uses AI-researched data and is being verified by our team. Routes and locations should be confirmed before use in an emergency.
New York City evacuation is uniquely challenging due to its island geography, bridge/tunnel chokepoints, and massive population. Manhattan has limited exit points: the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln and Holland Tunnels northward and westward, and bridges to Brooklyn/Queens eastward. During Hurricane Sandy, all tunnels flooded and most bridges closed.
For Manhattan residents, walking across the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridge may be the fastest escape during gridlock. The 2003 blackout saw hundreds of thousands walk across these bridges. Consider keeping a bicycle as evacuation transport - it is faster than walking and avoids traffic gridlock.
Communication: NYC cell networks fail during major events. Establish an out-of-state contact who can relay messages. Use text messages over calls. Download offline maps of all five boroughs. Consider a satellite communicator for true grid-down scenarios.
Meeting Points: Primary: Central Park Great Lawn (Midtown) or Prospect Park Long Meadow (Brooklyn). Secondary: Your borough's designated rally point. Out-of-area: Pre-designated contact in NJ, CT, or upstate NY.
Roles: Assign roles: Person A - documents, medications, MetroCards/E-ZPass. Person B - food, water, children. Person C - pets, portable chargers, route navigation. Know your flood zone and evacuation zone letter (A-F).
Use this guide as a base for your personalized strategy.