Why Don't People Evacuate?

[shinyhappypeople]

Please explain the psychology of it to me, because I'm having difficulty wrapping my brain around it right now. My mother in law lives on the coast of SC and a bunch of friends and family had to harangue her to evacuate  :banghead:   Thankfully she did yesterday, but... seriously.  What's the motive to stay???  She couldn't give us a good reason.  It was just sort of... "Well, I don't know... just pray for us..."  

 

If officials tell me a huge hurricane is headed my way and we need to evacuate, I grab my family and pets and take a little road trip.  I don't understand the motive of trying to ride it out when the risks are so great.

 

 

[73349]

I would evacuate, but I know a lot of people would have trouble covering the cost of transportation and a hotel several hours' drive away, especially if they're losing income if they can't easily get back to a job that will be open.

 

The sheer stubbornness thing among people who can afford it I totally don't get. You cannot protect your house from the wind or the ocean, and it may not be able to protect you either....

[Scarlett]

Fear. Although how fear of leaving could,be worse than staying I dont know.

 

Concern for looting.

[gardenmom5]

it varies.

don't want to deal with the hassle

think the danger is over hyped  (I think this one is pretty common.)

are afraid of thieves who take advantage of mandatory evacuations

don't know where they'd go/ are afraid of the expenses

and then . . . there are the thrill seekers.

 

 

 

[TranquilMind]

People are different.  Older people are less adaptable, and perhaps less worried about the end result?

[Tanaqui]

During Hurricane Sandy, here on Staten Island there were two families who failed to evacuate and had deaths.

 

One of them stayed because they were worried about looters. Which, okay, but they still should have sent the teenager to an evacuation center with friends. There was no need to keep all three family members at home. When the surge came their house was swept away and the teenager and the dad were killed.

 

The other... to be honest, I think she was just a little not-so-bright. Despite living right up against the water, she apparently thought it'd be safe, and then she panicked when the lights went out and tried to leave. Long and tragic story short, her two kids died.

 

So there it is: Poor sense of priorities, and poor understanding of risks. Some people aren't very sensible.

 

In NYC, there's no worries about affording a hotel stay or anything like that. You go to an evacuation center (generally or always at a public school), and you can usually take a city bus there. Evacuation centers theoretically allow pets, though we're not in a high-risk zone and so we've never tried this out.

[Carrie12345]

I don't understand it, but I also don't have personal stake in it. I have an evacuation plan that I'm unlikely to ever need where I am, but I also have fairly solid Shelter In Place plans that are better for my location, so I don't have to ponder the reality as much as someone near the ocean.

 

I would think that my kids' safety would be enough to take my car and willingly abandon all my worldly posessions, even if we had to sleep in a Walmart parking lot.

[skimomma]

My late great-grandmother would never evacuate for hurricanes and she rode many of them out, alone in her house, despite pleas from family.  Her reasons were always the same.

 

1.  She had a ride (she didn't drive) and a place to go but the family members that were offering to take her were not willing to take her dogs.  They expected her to leave them alone at home!  At that time, the public services for those needing to be helped with evacuation also did not help with pets.

 

2.  She was worried about looters since she witnessed the looting of some of her neighbors' houses when they left and she stayed.

 

3.  She lived well into her 90s, while still living in her own house, and had seen it all.  She just did not believe the hype and figured if God thought it was her time, it was her time.

 

She always took precautions.  She had her handyman board up the windows and she had plenty of emergency supplies to ride out the storm.  She did not expect anyone to rescue her.  She knew she was taking a risk and was OK with it.  It is not what I would choose to do but since she was only endangering herself, I think it was within her rights to decide to stay.

 

The last "big one" to hit during her lifetime was really bad.  I cannot remember the details but after many phone calls, begging, and crying, she finally agreed to evacuate but absolutely would not budge without her dogs.  Her helpers eventually agreed to take them as well.  She was pretty smug when she returned to find that her house was not damaged in the storm but had been broken into, just as she predicted.  She died shortly afterwards but I doubt there would have been any talking her into evacuating again.

[Melissa B]

1. It's expensive.

2. They have pets/animals/farms.

3. They have to work.

4. They fear break-ins/looting. (This is a real fear in many communities.)

5. They are stubborn.

6. They really just don't care/ hold a fatalistic view of life.

7. They don't have transportation.

8. They are overwhelmed/ have nowhere else to go.

9. They won't leave others behind - family, neighbors, etc.

10. They have a condition that makes staying at a shelter difficult - medical issue, elderly, homebound, mental issue.

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by Melissa B

[Jane in NC]

Sheer pigheadedness. Some of the old codgers remember past storms but fail to consider that the large population shift to the Atlantic coastline has brought major development which in turn has created major storm water issues. I have witnessed this in my coastal community. It doesn't matter what happened in 1975. The landscape is completely different today.

 

And some people think their lives are more important than those of first responders. Pure selfishness.

[TheReader]

I think very often, people wait to see where the hurricane is really, truly going. Early predictions give such a wide range of area, and even last minute predictions often turn out to be wrong.

 

When Rita hit, right after Katrina, all the models showed it coming in right below us. Our area was given mandatory evacuation orders, and so we hit the road. We were fortunate to get where we were going in a reasonable amount of time -- we talked to many people who spent four times longer in the car than expected. Then, within those final hours, the hurricane shifted and hit a few hours further up the coast from us -- still within the preliminary range, but off from what the "most reliable" predictions had said. End result -- a whole mess of people evacuated, who didn't need to, and then a whole mess who didn't who should have, but couldn't, because by the time the path was clear, it was hunker down time, not get on the road time.

 

And even then, a Cat 3 is borderline for a lot of people. I know plenty of folks who won't leave for a 3, only for a 4 or a 5, depending on where they live in relation to the storm surge.

[TX Native]

When my aunts evacuated my grandmother to inland TX for a hurricane that happened in the Gulf a year or two after Katrina (edited to add, read on a later post it was a couple months after Katrina, so the hysteria was higher I guess), they had a terrible trip! The gas stations ran out of gas, there was so much traffic on the interstate, nowhere to buy food or water along the way. I think everyone went into panic mode. I heard about a retirement community bus that was evacuating to Dallas caught on fire and killed most passengers. They would have been fine if they stayed. However, that accident could have happened with a group on it if there wasn't an evacuation. Then the hurricane downgraded to a low category and didn't do much damage after all. I think it is best to evacuate if advised to do so, but I think in many situations people don't because they evacuated so many times and it turned out the storm weakened and didn't do much damage. It's like the boy who cried wolf scenario. I understand officials would rather be cautious in case the storm becomes life threatening. They would rather likely reap backlash for the storm weakening and people being inconvenienced needlessly in hindsight, than wait until the storm gets worse and have to regret not suggesting an evacuation,

Edited October 7, 2016 by TX native

[Pawz4me]

I don't really think people who choose to stay think their lives are more important than those of first responders. I suspect it never really occurs to them that they may very well get into a situation where they need a first responder. I think they tend to believe that the situation is over-hyped (which really is often the case since the powers that be do have to err on the side of caution) or they think they'll be able to handle whatever Mother Nature throws at them.

 

And honestly unless they have family/friends they know can take them in evacuating can be expensive and a trip into the unknown. We're 200 miles inland and hotels here are full. So it's not like someone evacuating can just pack up their car, drive an hour or so and easily find a place to hunker down.

[Anne in CA]

Many people didn't evacuate when the fires were close here two years ago. The evacuation point was 1/4 mile from our restaurant and we ran a generator and stayed open even though the power and the phone were out. We really did know that the fire was headed in the other direction (the firefighters were eating here, so we knew, lol.) 

 

Many local cattle ranchers were not allowed to take their animals so they stayed (and some were quite shaken and say that they should have left). One of my dd's fiends who lives with her grandparents says her grandfather refused to leave and had to be forcibly carried out by her uncle. The fire was a few feet from taking out their house and the heat was so bad their house sustained damage. He would have suffered in the house. 

 

My parents have friends who had just bought a new house outside Chula Vista and found their insurance wasn't good yet. They stayed and fought the fire around their house with garden hoses. They saved their house, but sustained bad burns and almost died.

 

You can lose perspective in an emergency. I just read a book about a  Jewish Polish family whose mother would NOT leave her clothing store. Only her father and one daughter lived. The father begged her to leave, and left himself, but she simply couldn't bear to leave her business. 

[Supertechmom]

When you live in a hurricane prone area and deal with over excited media  (Really Our state shut down over a hurricane that wasn't even predicted to hit SC.  Just because...... shut down our vacation over a hurricane that hit the outer banks and was predicted to hit the outer banks and was small, so I really don't take the media and gov at their word ....too many false alarms),  you play it by ear.    How big is the eye? How wide are the winds?  what are the outer winds?  Where is it predicted to hit?  How close are you to the shore?  You board up, sandbag, and watch.   My family on the beach evacuate cause you can't outrun floods and wind.   Family a few miles inland sit it out unless landfall is going to hit their area.    Each one is judged based on the facts, not on a hysterical media and CYA gov process which in the past has left you open to looters. Empty out a neighborhood and then not have any damage, guaranteed to be looted before you can get back.  Seen that one too many times. National guard does not keep out looters.  Just those trying to get back to their homes.  Hugo showed that.  SO many homeowners not allowed back to the islands or ground zero but looters snuck in and picked over everything.  Disgusting.  

 

Now cat 4 and 5, people do pay attention and take it a little more seriously...but again depends on size and wind speed and storm surge.

 

but those that stay tend to be self reliant type of people and are hunkered down with an eye to how fast can we get out after the eye hits and start work fixing the damage.  

 

 

[FriedClams]

I've lived in evacuation areas all along the gulf coast. I agree with much of what's said above. I think Supertechmom said allot of what the thinking of "normal"people is on the areas. As an older home owner, if it's not looking terrible (good quadrant, minimal tornado possibility, no surge area) I'd stay. Honestly, a quickly patched roof or four days of rain damage is a pretty huge difference. And in every storm I've seen (other than the floods in Katrina) the hype was 100 times worse than the storm.

[ktgrok]

My parents were like that, they only left because I BEGGED and cried and because my sister ended up needing them to babysit her kids. But they were afraid of looting, afraid of not being able to get back to their house for days, etc. 

 

It was dumb, and I told them so. 

[Seasider]

People are different. Older people are less adaptable, and perhaps less worried about the end result?

I think when they don't have little kids (anymore), they may grow less reactive. Plus if they've evacuated in the past but never experienced actually taking a bad hit (being in it or seeing devastating property damage), they may consider the warnings hype.

[KrissiK]

I have never been in a position where I have had to evacuate, so I don't know the mindset of people going through it. It's easy to cast judgment when you are in a position to think rationally(as opposed to emotionally, dealing with the fear of what could happen, what you would come back to if you did leave, the insane people who are also evacuating, etc.) and don't really have to make that decision and figure out how to carry it out.

Edited October 7, 2016 by KrissiK

[SKL]

Loss of a feeling of control and orientation.

The cost of temporary lodging etc.

Possibly not realizing that things can get dangerous even if you and your house are still there.

[Seasider]

My parents were like that, they only left because I BEGGED and cried and because my sister ended up needing them to babysit her kids. But they were afraid of looting, afraid of not being able to get back to their house for days, etc.

 

It was dumb, and I told them so.

Several folks I know have parents reacting the same way. We just shake our heads at their stuff>life mental math.

[Random]

Am I reading correctly that even though there are mandatory evacuation orders, people are still expected to be at work?

 

Also, I thought that when there was a mandatory evacuation order, that some transportation is govt. provided?  I've heard of people not evacuating because they don't want to have to 'register' for the government transportation (they were hiding from the law).  This may partially explain the behaviors we saw after Katrina by people who didn't evacuate.

[ktgrok]

Am I reading correctly that even though there are mandatory evacuation orders, people are still expected to be at work?

 

Also, I thought that when there was a mandatory evacuation order, that some transportation is govt. provided?  I've heard of people not evacuating because they don't want to have to 'register' for the government transportation (they were hiding from the law).  This may partially explain the behaviors we saw after Katrina by people who didn't evacuate.

 

No one is expected to work in an evacuation area. But not all areas were evacuated. 

 

As for transportation, I heard in Volusia that you can just go to any city bus stop,a nd the bus will take you to a shuttle that goes to the shelters. For free. 

 

But my parents had two relatives willing to take them and their dog (my sister or I), their own transportation, etc. They could also afford a hotel if they wanted. But the just figured it would probably be fine. But probably isn't good enough. 

[umsami]

There is free transportation provided on public buses to shelters.

 

Shelters are free.  Some didn't use to evacuate because of pets, but now there are many shelters that do take pets.

 

You're not going to lose work, because nobody can work.

 

It is pure selfishness and feeling that you're smarter/luckier.  Some people think evacuation warnings and such are a conspiracy.  Crazy.

 

People who don't evacuate put First Responders' lives at risk. 

[HomeAgain]

Some people don't feel right evacuating.  My husband works on equipment that must be manned 24/7. He's part of a small group. For the whole handful of them to leave it would be catastrophe.  Millions of dollars and important work would be gone.

 

Some people don't have money to evacuate.  They're already facing loss of work, having to replace food and possibly parts of their home.  There is not the extra cash for an overpriced hotel.

 

Some people are just tired.  The news likes to hype up everything.  If they weren't convinced they were being lied to all the time, it might be better.

 

 

 

Me?  I'd evacuate, but I have that luxury.  I have the money, the place to go, and no job that requires me to stay no matter what.

 

 

[TheReader]

No one is expected to work in an evacuation area. But not all areas were evacuated.

 

As for transportation, I heard in Volusia that you can just go to any city bus stop,a nd the bus will take you to a shuttle that goes to the shelters. For free.

 

But my parents had two relatives willing to take them and their dog (my sister or I), their own transportation, etc. They could also afford a hotel if they wanted. But the just figured it would probably be fine. But probably isn't good enough.

Not entirely true; when we were in a mandatory evac zone, our neighbors were required to stay -- he was a gasoline delivery driver, required to keep running his tanker and fill up the gas stations. She worked at the ER, which was required to stay open. There are a variety of jobs that don't close, even for evacuation.

[Loowit]

A lot of people don't think anything will actually happen or that it won't be as bad as predicted.  They have ridden out things in the past and been fine so expect that it is mostly hype.  My DH has helped with evacuations in the past and everyone is warned that once the disaster hits, which around here is usually flooding, that no one will be coming in to rescue them until the threat is over.  Some will then change their mind, but there are always a few stubborn ones.

 

My grandparents refused to leave when Mt. St. Helens blew back in 1980.  They were convinced that they would be fine.  They had a stockpile of food and water and a source of heat.  They did fine staying but it could have gone the other way.

[TheReader]

Another thought -- unless the entire area is under mandatory evac, then it is up to the employer how to handle the time off. If conditions in their area turn out to be passable/safe for being on the road, and they weren't told to evacuate by local law enforcement/govt, then the employee has to use vacation, personal time off, or an unpaid day off if they choose to evacuate when it isn't absolutely necessary.

 

For some people, risking that is a big deal.

[ktgrok]

Not entirely true; when we were in a mandatory evac zone, our neighbors were required to stay -- he was a gasoline delivery driver, required to keep running his tanker and fill up the gas stations. She worked at the ER, which was required to stay open. There are a variety of jobs that don't close, even for evacuation.

 

Even the hospitals in the evacuation zones closed down, for the most part. And the gas stations were not being filled during the storm. Now, if you mean she was AT the hospital, which was open and not evacuated, and he was out on the job, not in the actual evacuation zone, then yes, I understand that. But they weren't home, I'm assuming. 

[ktgrok]

Another thought -- unless the entire area is under mandatory evac, then it is up to the employer how to handle the time off. If conditions in their area turn out to be passable/safe for being on the road, and they weren't told to evacuate by local law enforcement/govt, then the employee has to use vacation, personal time off, or an unpaid day off if they choose to evacuate when it isn't absolutely necessary.

 

For some people, risking that is a big deal.

 

I don't expect people not told to evacuate, to do do. I'm talking about people in mandatory evacuation zones. Like my parents, on a barrier island in the direct path of a major hurricane. The only ares I know of that were evacuated were the barrier islands, some low coastal areas, and pretty much all of the city of St. Augustine. 

 

The rest of us are just under a curfew, no being on the roads. 

[Reefgazer]

I never evacuate for hurricane warnings, although I'm in southern Virginia and we don't get 4s and 5s.  But I doubt I'd evacuate for a 4, either.  The reasons:

 

1.  The authorities often don't let you return to your home in a timely manner as you'd like, so your home could be damaged and the damage could be compounded if you can't take care of it.

 

2.  In a large, crime-ridden city like Norfolk, looters will have at abandoned homes.  They will pass on occupied homes for easier targets.

 

3.  Pets.  Even if they can be moved (fish and reptiles are hard to travel with), many hotels will not allow you to take them, even *if* you can find one that's not 800 miles inland. 

 

4.  The danger is almost always overblown here, so I would generally take my chances.

 

5.  A general evacuation order doesn't take into account the circumstances in very local areas.  For example, my entire neighborhood looks awful on a hurricane map, but my home is slightly higher than most houses in this neighborhood and we rarely flood here when others are under water.  So I know my home and close living situation better than some random dude issuing a blanket evacuation order.
 

6.  We're very well-prepared at all times, even outside of hurricane season (we have a generator, extra gasoline for the generator, multiple backup sources of food and water, and we don't expect rescue).  If a 3 or 4 comes at us, we figure we're on our own for a few weeks, at least.

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by reefgazer

[ktgrok]

Honestly, I remember Andrew too well to understand anyone thinking they can ride out a storm of that magnitude. And just because it is forecast to be a 4, doesn't mean it won't be a 5 when it hits. And by then it is too late to leave. 

[Reefgazer]

Every word of this.  Exactly.

When you live in a hurricane prone area and deal with over excited media  (Really Our state shut down over a hurricane that wasn't even predicted to hit SC.  Just because...... shut down our vacation over a hurricane that hit the outer banks and was predicted to hit the outer banks and was small, so I really don't take the media and gov at their word ....too many false alarms),  you play it by ear.    How big is the eye? How wide are the winds?  what are the outer winds?  Where is it predicted to hit?  How close are you to the shore?  You board up, sandbag, and watch.   My family on the beach evacuate cause you can't outrun floods and wind.   Family a few miles inland sit it out unless landfall is going to hit their area.    Each one is judged based on the facts, not on a hysterical media and CYA gov process which in the past has left you open to looters. Empty out a neighborhood and then not have any damage, guaranteed to be looted before you can get back.  Seen that one too many times. National guard does not keep out looters.  Just those trying to get back to their homes.  Hugo showed that.  SO many homeowners not allowed back to the islands or ground zero but looters snuck in and picked over everything.  Disgusting.  

 

Now cat 4 and 5, people do pay attention and take it a little more seriously...but again depends on size and wind speed and storm surge.

 

but those that stay tend to be self reliant type of people and are hunkered down with an eye to how fast can we get out after the eye hits and start work fixing the damage.  

 

[Reefgazer]

I have an elderly uncle on Merritt Island that stayed.  But this isn't his first hurricane rodeo, so I'm sure he knows what he's getting into.  I'm also sure he doesn't expect anyone to rescue him, either; not the type to ask for help or rescue.

I don't expect people not told to evacuate, to do do. I'm talking about people in mandatory evacuation zones. Like my parents, on a barrier island in the direct path of a major hurricane. The only ares I know of that were evacuated were the barrier islands, some low coastal areas, and pretty much all of the city of St. Augustine. 

 

The rest of us are just under a curfew, no being on the roads. 

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by reefgazer

[Reefgazer]

Well, like Supertechmom says, it depends on so many factors that aren't constant from hurricane to hurricane.  We're in southern Virginia, and a 4 in Florida will not be a 5 by the time it bounces up the coast.  So a Virginian make s a different calculation than a Floridian.

I never evacuate for hurricane warnings, although I'm in southern Virginia and we don't get 4s and 5s.  But I doubt I'd evacuate for a 4, either.  The reasons:

 

1.  The authorities often don't let you return to your home in a timely manner as you'd like, so your home could be damaged and the damage could be compounded if you can't take care of it.

 

2.  In a large, crime-ridden city like Norfolk, looters will have at abandoned homes.  They will pass on occupied homes for easier targets.

 

3.  Pets.  Even if they can be moved (fish and reptiles are hard to travel with), many hotels will not allow you to take them, even *if* you can find one that's not 800 miles inland. 

 

4.  The danger is almost always overblown here, so I would generally take my chances.

 

5.  A general evacuation order doesn't take into account the circumstances in very local areas.  For example, my entire neighborhood looks awful on a hurricane map, but my home is slightly higher than most houses in this neighborhood and we rarely flood here when others are under water.  So I know my home and close living situation better than some random dude issuing a blanket evacuation order.
 

6.  We're very well-prepared at all times, even outside of hurricane season (we have a generator, extra gasoline for the generator, multiple backup sources of food and water, and we don't expect rescue).  If a 3 or 4 comes at us, we figure we're on our own for a few weeks, at least.

 

 

[ktgrok]

I have an elderly uncle on Merritt Island that stayed.  But this isn't his first hurricane rodeo, so I'm sure her knows what he's getting into.  He doesn't expect anyone to rescue him, either.

 

Sorry, but that is BS. If this had strengthened into a Cat 5 storm, there is no amount of prepared you can be, no amount of toughness, that will stop your darned roof from blowing off, or a downed power line from catching your house on fire, or whatever. You can't out prep a Cat 5 storm. It isn't possible. This wasn't my first hurricane either. I grew up on the coat of Florida, and have been through plenty. I've been through big storms that just flooded things, I've been through lesser storms that did more damage. You just don't know. 

 

How anyone can look at footage of a Cat 5 storm, or the entire homes that ended up destroyed, and think they can be assured they will be okay, I don't know. And if they say a 4, there is a decent probability it will end up either a 3 or a 5. You can't know ahead of time. 

 

People think they can gamble and yes, most of the time they will be right. But one day, that luck may run out. 

[ktgrok]

And saying that you will take your chances, if you are in an evacuation zone with a giant storm heading your way, is like saying you won't buckle your seatbelt, because usually you won't be in an accident. The chances may work out for you. Probably they will. But it's not a good idea. 

[BlsdMama]

I think some don't grasp the hugeness of the situation.

 

Friends decided to stay.  But they are not natively from the area.  We're from the Midwest, just the threat of tornadoes with no basements would be motivating for *ME* because that's within my life experience, kwim?  But then add storm surge, etc., it's just a lot for me to comprehend choosing *not* to evac.  The only thought I have is that maybe they just don't understand - the electricity will go.  When the electricity goes, so will the ability to flush, get water, leave..........

[ktgrok]

I'm fine with no electricity, we can prepare for that. We have propane for the grill, coolers, tons of ice, etc. If it's just that, fine. But when you see that whole houses are destroyed in Cat 4 or 5, or flooded in storm surges, you leave. You can't out prepare your roof blowing off. That's what people don't seem to get. My parents were like, Oh, we have storm shutters. Great, but if it's CAT 5, that may not matter. Cat 1-2? Sure, you will be fine, as long as you aren't in an area that floods. Hunker down as we say. But even then, board your windows, etc. NO ONE in my neighborhood boarded up. My next door neighbor left his trash cans out (which are now in my yard). I've had Cat 1 winds break a window and flood a room. If I'd been IN that room, I could have been knocked unconscious or killed by that flying shingle. I knew I didn't have the ability to board up, so we left. 

 

This time, we boarded up a "safe room" knowing we could stay in that room as long as needed, and we were inland enough that a roof coming off, etc wasn't an issue. 

[ktgrok]

This is why saying "I'll be fine, I'll hunker down, i have shutters, I'm prepared, I have water and food, I have a generator, etc" isn't enough if you are in the direct path. There is no level of prep that can keep you safe in that kind of damage. 

 

This was Andrew. We have improved building codes now, but most of the homes on the coast in Florida were built long before those codes changed. 

 

[heartlikealion]

A lot of times people aren't told to evacuate or by the time it's recommended/they realize how serious the storm is predicted to be, they don't have supplies or a place to stay, etc.

 

We evacuated for Hurricane Katrina. Thank goodness. Well, my now 100 yr old grandma was 90 at the time and traveled with us. All the hotels were saying no vacancy. The gas stations had lines of cars waiting for gas or no gas at all. It was a very scary, intimidating time. What are you supposed to do? We literally almost slept in the car. Thank goodness the hotel somehow had a room for us. The winds were bad at the hotel window and I couldn't imagine if we were in the parking lot! We actually drove to FL from MS because at that time that was safer. One time we evacuated to Montgomery, AL. If you don't have money or you can't afford to miss work, etc. I guess I could see why someone might not. But in general, I don't understand staying. Who cares about your job if you die or get seriously injured? I actually lost my house and car in the storm because we didn't drive all our vehicles. My car got flooded in my grandma's garage. My job closed for a little bit, but then reopened. I couldn't go to work, I didn't even have my uniform or work shoes. They were destroyed.

[ktgrok]

And to be clear, the evacuations in Florida this time were issues with PLENTY of time. Storm hit late thursday night, early friday morning to late friday morning for most, going tinto the afternoon. Evacuations started in Brevard county on wednesday at 3pm. Schools were closed thursday. Shelters were open. Transportation to shelters was free. You really only had to go an hour or so inland if you didn't want to go to a shelter, to get to a safer place. Highways were pretty clear, not too bad. We had enough gas in the state for 6 days, although some places had lines. The state handled it very very well. Those who didn't leave, were just gambling it would be okay. They may have been right, but ti was a total gamble. 

[Farrar]

Honestly, I remember Andrew too well to understand anyone thinking they can ride out a storm of that magnitude. And just because it is forecast to be a 4, doesn't mean it won't be a 5 when it hits. And by then it is too late to leave. 

 

I read that since Andrew, there are now more than 2 million people living in Florida who weren't there then. It's been awhile... some people don't know. Not disagreeing with you, just... perspective.

 

I remember in middle school, a hurricane where a classmate's mother went to their beach house beforehand and refused to leave. They thought it was suicide by hurricane. She died.

 

Most of my experiences of hurricanes have been very mild. While I get that they can be very, very dangerous, I also understand the personal experience bias mentality. Every hurricane they've warned me about has been no big deal, thus they are overblowing this too and I'm not going to leave because of the expense, etc. etc. Not smart. But there it is.

[Ausmumof3]

I have absolutely know idea about hurricanes obviously and thankfully. We did experience a bushfire and nearly a divorce over whether to evacuate or not... Lol.

 

There were looters around in spite of the huge level of danger.

 

After the main front past,people were prevented from going back home to check things. The issue with bushfire is that while the main front may spare your home the spot fires and flare ups on the ground often take out houses 24 hours later or even longer. Dh who managed to get by the roadblock and back in watched someone's house burn 24 hours later across the valley from us. If someone had been home on ember watch the house wouldn't have gone.

 

My parents also "stayed and defended" they have a defendable house and a very solid plan. The fireys didn't attend their house and in the burn maps you can actually see a tongue of Unburnt land where they live. They saved their own house and the neighbours. I have no idea whether there is any similarity with a hurricane but I guess for example if you had minor roof damage and could block it up you might be saved from having major water damage to deal with or something?

 

I also think for older people the thought of starting all over again is possibly more overwhelming? And they maybe don't place as high a value on survival.

 

I also think on a deeper psychological level, humans have always defended what they had at risk of their lives otherwise we wouldn't have wars etc. it's just a kind of innate instinct, not necessarily based on logic.

 

Also people don't trust authorities necessarily or don't believe it's as bad as they say.

 

I personally think people with minors have a responsibility to them first and they should definitely evacuate. I think for bushfire situation where there is something you can actually do, if you are staying you better be prepared to the absolute maximum, so that you don't put anyone's life at risk saving you.

[Murphy101]

1. It's expensive.

2. They have pets/animals/farms.

3. They have to work.

4. They fear break-ins/looting. (This is a real fear in many communities.)

5. They are stubborn.

6. They really just don't care/ hold a fatalistic view of life.

7. They don't have transportation.

8. They are overwhelmed/ have nowhere else to go.

9. They won't leave others behind - family, neighbors, etc.

10. They have a condition that makes staying at a shelter difficult - medical issue, elderly, homebound, mental issue.

This. In theory most or none of this should be an issue, but in reality, it often is.

 

Maybe where they work isn't in the evac area, but where they live is.

Maybe when rides are available or the kind of rides available don't meet their needs.

Maybe the shelters are free, but are over crowded and don't feel safe to women or children.

No where to go or no where they can afford. Sometimes shelters aren't much better than just staying home, as far as truely getting out of the danger zone. To my dad, the shelter he is supposed to go to is not particuliarly safer in distance or facility, so he might as well stay home.

Looting or livestock loss is an issue. It seems stupid to value it over your life until you have to figure out how to live homeless with no assets and a system that is notoriously slow at helping people get back on their feet even without a disaster cause.

[Pawz4me]

I think some don't grasp the hugeness of the situation.

 

Friends decided to stay.  But they are not natively from the area.  We're from the Midwest, just the threat of tornadoes with no basements would be motivating for *ME* because that's within my life experience, kwim?  But then add storm surge, etc., it's just a lot for me to comprehend choosing *not* to evac.  The only thought I have is that maybe they just don't understand - the electricity will go.  When the electricity goes, so will the ability to flush, get water, leave..........

 

Not to nitpick, but you don't need electricity to flush. Just water. And that's pretty easy to stock up on (or catch in a bucket when you're getting torrential rain).

[ktgrok]

 

My parents also "stayed and defended" they have a defendable house and a very solid plan. The fireys didn't attend their house and in the burn maps you can actually see a tongue of Unburnt land where they live. They saved their own house and the neighbours. I have no idea whether there is any similarity with a hurricane but I guess for example if you had minor roof damage and could block it up you might be saved from having major water damage to deal with or something?

.

 

Yes, and in a milder hurricane, say cat 1 or 2, that makes sense. And even then, not really, because you'd have to get ON the roof to fix it, which obviously isn't safe in hurricane force winds. But in a cat 4 or 5 where you could lose the whole dang roof, no, not worth the risk. 

[Ausmumof3]

Yes, and in a milder hurricane, say cat 1 or 2, that makes sense. And even then, not really, because you'd have to get ON the roof to fix it, which obviously isn't safe in hurricane force winds. But in a cat 4 or 5 where you could lose the whole dang roof, no, not worth the risk.

I have no experience with hurricanes whatsoever. But yeah I don't get it either...

[heartlikealion]

Not to nitpick, but you don't need electricity to flush. Just water. And that's pretty easy to stock up on (or catch in a bucket when you're getting torrential rain).

 

Sorry but this sounds really ridiculous to my ears. I have stayed home during mild hurricanes and evacuated for more severe ones. No one I know talks like this. No one is outside catching rain in buckets (or lining their property with buckets to retrieve later) during a storm to use for the next few days when the power is out. At least I haven't seen it. You could have a house full of people and maybe two toilets. The flushing isn't going to be convenient for any length of time. And water you stocked up on is being used to drink, cook, wash hands or something.

 

Losing power is a big deal. I don't care how many people say they are cool with it, they have a grill to cook with, etc. What about when your grill is destroyed in the storm? What about when it's hotter than hades and you can't bear the thought of heating up food? Sure, you do what you gotta do, but I just don't think people get it.

 

[heartlikealion]

I just want to say leaving isn't just about transportation and gas. It's about potentially sitting for hours in back to back traffic and not always knowing where you are going to stop.