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In advance of Hurricane Matthew’s destructive blow to parts of Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina, The New York Times covered efforts to evacuate the region. According to The TImes, 5 percent of the population was likely toÌýstay despite the dangers.

Meghan McPherson, program coordinator of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s emergency management graduate program and coordinator of the Center for Health Innovation at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, offered advice and expertise on how emergency managers can get their message across to reluctant evacuees.

McPherson explained that officials should “refrain from comparing pending storms with previous ones because eachÌýone is unique, with its own size, winds, rains and tracks”, and that making comparisons can give residents “a false sense of security.”

photo credit: The New York Times

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