The Federal Emergency Management Agency defines evacuations as the organized, phased, and supervised movement of people from dangerous or potentially dangerous areas. Some evacuations occur without the direction of government officials. This happens when residents either perceive of or are aware of an actual emergency and evacuate an area on their own. Voluntary and mandatory/directed evacuations involve government direction.
For more information, visit: http://www.extension.org/pages/Voluntary_Versus_Mandatory_Evacuations.
