Select cell towers have battery backups. IIRC, Verizon is the best and AT&T is the worse. You will have between 2 and 8 hours if cell service after lights out.
That's extremely helpful, thanks.
Forget getting anywhere via car in an evacuation. The roads are going to be jammed untill well out into suburbia. A good plot point would be a pair of walking shoes for commuting, and dress shoes kept at the office. Less likely, but still feasible, are a nearby bike shop and a wad of cash, or membership in a sailing club.
Walking shoes and maybe a bike will be essential. I think a boat may appear a bit contrived, however. How many manhattaners sail regularly for sport? Are sailing clubs and marinas so common downtown? I assume you have to be fairly well-off to keep a boat anchored there.
There should be more then one rendezvous point. Places where one party can wait for the other one. Have character A check,the backup locations before circling back to the prearranged one and camping out in their truck.
Excellent idea, thanks!