Houston Evacuation

More people should have taken the warning and evacuated by the way it looks now.

I think we need to have a law that states that if people voluntarily stay behind after being given every means to evacuate then they need to pay for all rescue efforts that need to be made on their behalf.

This payment would be assessed to their utility or tax bills if they can't afford to pay it up front after the disaster. People need to take responsibility for their own lives and not expect the government to bail their butts out.

It's also amazing how many of these people that decided to stay were not very prepared to handle the situation post-hurricane. What did they expect? Common sense tells you that you will need to have supplies of food, water, etc for several weeks or even months to survive afterwards.

I agree that those incapable of being prepared to stay should have to pay for rescue. Often it is the ones that have no means to weather a storm due to physical or financial situations that stay and then beg to be rescued and gripe about the form and speed of rescue and aid.
Here in our town the evacuation was voluntary, unlike the rest of the county, and I and my family stayed because we were prepared, felt secure in our home, and had gone through the terrible ordeal of the "Rita escape" boondoggle. That was the only storm we had ever run from in my 65+ years.

We were told by the authorities through regular phone messages and email announcements of every step of the situation, and were told that there would be a point when rescue would not be available. at that time those who stayed were on their own. We chose to stay.
We made it through the storm just fine and had very little damage to our house and shop.

I know, I know- you say "Tis time you were lucky, but what about next time?"

Next time is another time and we might make a different choice, but I don't think so. Preparedness is the key.

ETA- We are not survivalists, just experienced Gulf Coast people who know what to do and what to expect.