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Washoe County briefs public on SWIFT Exit evacuation study; officials urge residents to register for alerts and submit input by March 30
Summary
Washoe County emergency-management staff described a vendor-driven SWIFT Exit evacuation study that will map evacuation polygons and analyze time-to-evacuate; officials urged residents to register for Smart911/Rave alerts and submit community input through March 30.
Washoe County emergency-management staff briefed the advisory council on the SWIFT Exit evacuation study on March 1, explaining that the county has selected vendors to produce evacuation polygons and perform time-to-evacuate analyses for the entire county.
Brett Taylor, assisting with the county process, said the study will break the county into evacuation zones and use analysis tools (Perimeter software and a vendor partnered with the county’s notification system) to estimate evacuation times, identify choke points and recommend hardening actions. "We're dividing the entire county everywhere that could be evacuated that has population in it," Taylor said, and added the analyses will inform how the county preplans and mitigates traffic choke points during evacuations.
Taylor described two public-notification methods: registered, property-level alerts via the county emergency-management website (the Rave/Smart911 system) and broader reverse-911 or cell-tower-based alerts. He encouraged residents to register property information on the Washoe County emergency management website so they receive parcel-specific notices and instructions during an event.
A public commenter asked how an out-of-state vendor could recommend local traffic solutions; Taylor responded that the vendor conducts on-the-ground analysis in the area as part of its scope. Another commenter and candidate raised livestock evacuation as a recurring problem and urged certified large-animal handlers be allowed access during evacuations; Taylor said that topic had been included in public input and that additional volunteer/animal-evacuation coordination (local NGOs and multi-agency partners) can be considered.
Meeting participants were told the county’s public-input portal for the evacuation study is open until March 30 and that residents should use the Washoe County emergency management website to register for alerts and complete the survey. No formal action or vote occurred during the briefing; staff will return with study milestones and recommendations when analyses are complete.
