What do evacuation zones mean? Here’s what you need to know

ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricanes are dangerous for a variety of reasons, but the deadliest threat when it comes to the tropical systems, according to emergency officials, is storm surge, which is when water gets pushed ashore by powerful hurricane winds.

The Sunshine State is extremely vulnerable to life-threatening storm surge because of its coastal and low-lying geography, according to FloridaDisaster.org. For that reason, it’s important to be prepared to evacuate ahead of a storm, especially if you live in one of those high-risk areas.

[RELATED: What is storm surge, how you can prepare your home]

Evacuation zones range from Zone A to Zone F.

Zone A is most vulnerable and most likely to be evacuated first, while Zone F is most likely to be evacuated last. To see what zone you’re in, click here.

[RELATED: Track Milton: Cone, models, more | TIMING: What to expect in Central Fla. | Sandbag locations | School, university closures | Tropical terms to know | Watches vs. warnings | Download the FREE News 6 hurricane app]

Here are some of the zone types in Florida:

• Tropical Storm Zone
• Zone A
• Zone AB (Monroe)
• Zone B
• Zone BC (Volusia)
• Zone C
• Zone D
• Zone DE (Volusia)
• Zone E
• Zone F (Collier, Duval, Nassau, St. Johns)
• Potential Hurricane Evacuation Zone (Flagler)

How will you know if you’re ordered to evacuate?

Follow local authorities and a trusted news source, like WKMG-TV/ClickOrlando.com, to find out when evacuations are ordered.

What you should do if you’re in an evacuation zone?

Here’s what to do and consider when developing an evacuation plan:

• Start developing a family hurricane preparedness plan before an actual storm threatens your area.
• Find out if you live in an evacuation zone. You can find your evacuation zone here. Just type in your address to determine if it’s in a colored evacuation zone. A key describing what each color indicates can be found here.
• Prepare a go bag of supplies you may need.
• Know where you would go and how you would get there, taking any pets into account. Plan multiple routes.
• Identify trusted sources for receiving evacuation orders, and if ordered to evacuate, do not wait or delay leaving the area. If possible, leave before local officials issue an evacuation order to avoid traffic congestion.
• Select an evacuation destination close to your home, preferably in the same county, to minimize the distance over which you must travel in order to reach your intended shelter location. Keep in mind hotels and other sheltering options in most inland metropolitan areas will likely be filled quickly.
• If you decide to evacuate to another county or region, be prepared to wait in traffic. If possible, make arrangements to stay with the friend or relative who resides closest to your home and who will not have to evacuate and discuss with your intended host the details of your family evacuation plan before the beginning of the hurricane season.
• If a hotel or motel is your final destination during an evacuation, make reservations before you leave.
• If you are unable to stay with friends or family and no hotel/motel rooms are available, then go to a shelter as a last resort. Keep in mind shelters are not designed for comfort and do not always accept pets, so take that into account. Bring a disaster supply kit with you to a shelter.
• Make sure that you fill up your car with gas before you leave.