‘Know Your Zone’ Gave Real-Time Evacuation Updates During Hurricane

As Floridians braced for Hurricane Milton, one of the most powerful hurricanes this century, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) directed those in its path to a dynamic online tool with vital information.

FDEM’s “Know Your Zone” application — a component of FloridaDisaster.org — is a real-time online map accessible on various types of devices that enables Florida residents and visitors to enter an address and quickly learn if they are in a high-risk evacuation zone. Powered by Esri’s advanced GIS and location intelligence, the map provides real-time updates on storms and evacuation zones, ensuring users have the most current information at their fingertips.

“Know Your Zone is an authoritative source of information for Florida residents to better understand their risk, specifically as to whether or not they are living in a low-lying or flood-prone area,” Ryan Lanclos, Esri’s director of national government and public safety solutions, said via email. “Combined with public alert and warning capabilities like Wireless Emergency Alerts, Know Your Zone makes it easy for residents to know if they live in an evacuation zone, what zone they are within, and the status of official evacuation orders from local authorities.”

When users access the Know Your Zone application, regardless of the digital device used, they’re greeted with an interactive map that highlights various evacuation zones. By entering their address into a designated field, they can quickly locate their zone and assess their risk.

The map uses a color-coded system to indicate the most vulnerable areas, including those where immediate evacuation is required — with Zone A being the most vulnerable and likely to be evacuated first and Zone F being evacuated last.

For visitors who may not have their exact address, the app can automatically pinpoint their location. Users can easily switch between English and Spanish on the app via a drop-down menu.

The ability to access the most timely and accurate hurricane updates is a central benefit of the app — and particularly critical as Florida prepares for Milton’s devastating storm surges, tornadoes and escalating wind speeds. According to Lanclos, when evacuation is required, the maps are updated by authoritative government agencies with the appropriate status and message for those located in that zone.

“These maps are provided using scalable cloud services from Esri to ensure they perform and remain stable when needed to communicate with the public,” he said.

The Know Your Zone tool is just one resource offered through the FDEM portal, where residents can find answers to questions and guidance on what to do before and after a hurricane or other natural disaster.

*This story first appeared in Government Technology, a sister publication of Industry Insider — Florida.