01:00 AM EST on Sunday, December 18, 2005

BY PETER B. LORD
Journal Staff Writer

BOSTON -- On Dec. 6, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino made public detailed plans and a map showing residents how to evacuate the city within hours, should a disaster, such as a hurricane, threaten the city.

Menino said the $825,500 plan was drawn up because "the recent events in New Orleans reminded us of the importance of constantly working to update and improve our preparedness plans."

Boston's new plan includes a emergency telephone notification system to reach out to hundreds of thousands of residents, a citywide map with detailed evacuation routes, assignment of buses and vans to transport those without cars and locate medical services and fuel and vehicle maintenance services along evacuation routes.

The city hopes to have the $250,000 emergency notification system in place to reach at least 280,000 households in the city by next month. It also plans to spend $130,000 for brochures, $220,000 for individual disaster kits, $220,000 for training and $7,500 for new signs.

The plan also sets up neighborhood shelters and provides an outreach program targeting large employers, nursing homes and neighborhood groups.

"I am confident that our team has put together one of the most advanced plans in the country, using an all-hazards approach to prepare for a wide range of events that could impact our city," Menino said when he announced the plan. "However, our work is never done. We must remain vigilant and constantly test our assumptions and strengthen our plan."

City officials acknowledge that Boston doesn't get hit with many hurricanes, but they said the new plan could be put into effect to react to a wide range of incidents, including a large fire.

To avoid the gridlock that occurred when Hurricane Rita threatened Texas, the Boston plan will only allow access to evacuation routes at certain points. It calls for controlling the volume of traffic and provides fuel and wrecker service to keep vehicles moving.

The evacuation map and plans for Boston can be viewed at http://www.cityofboston.gov/emergency/.