Many have asked why people don’t just evacuate when a hurricane is coming. What most do not understand is that it is a very complex situation. There are 22 million people in FL. When a hurricane comes, there is no idea where it will hit exactly. And it often changes directions completely. There is one main interstate out of the state. When we evacuated for Irma, it took us 17 hours to make it to Atlanta which is normally an 8 hour drive. The last thing you want is to be stuck on the highway during a hurricane.
Then you have to consider where will you go. If you can find a hotel room, it is often very costly. If you can’t get back to your home, you have to account for where you will go or stay. Gas becomes in short supply or unavailable altogether. A few years ago, when we evacuated for Irma, it cost us $8000 as we could not return to our home for 10 days and we had extended family with us that we supported. Not many have that kind of extra money or family or friends near that they could stay with. If you lose your home or your place of business, you will no longer have income coming in and will be stranded away from home often in an unfamiliar place. Many of Florida’s residents are elderly and in need of medical care so it is both difficult for them to get away or find the help they need elsewhere.
In this circumstance, Ian took a big turn and the areas hardest hit were miles south of where it was originally supposed to hit. North Port is not even on the water and is in a Flood Zone D but was still massively flooded. Mandatory evacuation is typically Zones A & B but in this case, many of the places south were not even under a mandatory evacuation order. If you are not in a mandatory evacuation area, it is best if you don’t leave so you can keep the road open for those who are.
Time is another issue. My daughter, mother, and brother had 10 hours to prepare their homes, gather what they could, and evacuate. It was too late to go north, so once we were able to secure them hotel rooms on the east side, they were leaving just as the hurricane was hitting and they drove four hours to get there in terrible conditions. It took me coordinating from afar, otherwise, they would not have had the time to secure a safe place to go.
My brother’s family members work for the county and school system so they are required to stay and man the evacuation centers for everyone else. They risk their own lives and that of their family to help others. Those that do stay and can get into a shelter before it is closed will spend the days there crammed in with strangers, people shooting up drugs, and animals relieving themselves everywhere. That is the hard truth.
So please understand, many cannot just leave and there are multiple circumstances and logistics to take into account.