TRIGGER WARNING I can’t believe some people aren’t evacuating in Florida

[Newsenmum]

I really don’t mean to be insensitive. This hurricane Milton is terrifying but I’m really struggling to understand this. I know there are some awful situations where people can’t drive/are disabled or elderly and feel helpless but what I CAN’T understand is people not trying. Like they’re completely putting their head in the sand.

I’m part of a few mum Facebook groups that are mostly American. I kid you not, people are staying in zones with their little babies where there is mandatory evacuation. Some reasons why they aren’t leaving:

• my dog is aggressive and won’t be allowed in the shelter, so I’m staying put with him and going to hope and pray. Why is the dog worth more than a kid?
• i have too many animals which don’t fit in the car, I’m worried about the chickens (!!) again.. wtf? Basically suicide for their kids because they don’t want to leave chickens!
• im from flORIda so I’ll be fine! Hopefully it’s not as bad as they think. I don’t want to disrupt us. wtf??
• my babies have a block safe room and that’s ‘normally fine’

There are other Americans trying to send them money, urging them to go storm shelters or at least a bit more inland!

These are people in areas that have 15ft storm surge, there is so much debris already around that is going to be trashing their houses. If they want a certain death for themselves then fine but can’t get over them not saving their babies 😭😭😭 all because they won’t leave the bloody chickens that are going to drown either way!!

We now have half a mannequin to gawk at!

Not for long I bet!

Are you watching on a delay? it's o0ver here now

Remembering Katrina I don't think they have faith that the gov will provide for them if they flee, that they'll have a place to go to or be allowed back or not lose all their things. They want to protect what they can themselves.

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Also the tide is going out for another hour and they're over 400 miles from the hurricane storm surge area.

People facing extreme fear and danger react in all sorts of ways which can seem inexplicable to those in relative safety. I think it is best not to judge unless in that situation oneself ( god forbid).

This!

For most people there’s a hell of a lot of factors to why they can’t leave… for some people they don’t have the means to do so. There’s no gas, roads are chocka. Tbh I wouldn’t be going anywhere without my dog either. She’s part of my family and that’s that. No way kids would leave without her either. Unless you are in that situation I don’t think anyone can really say what they would do…

Honestly the privilege on this thread, to think it's easy to just leave your home and cross a state boarder. Many people in Florida have no faith in the government at all. Many of those people don't have anywhere to go and don't trust the government to provide them with somewhere. If they leave, they may never see their stuff again. Imagine just leaving your house and everything in it! They probably fancy their chances of survival, and would rather risk it than run off with nothing, into nowhere.

She's probably well trained ands well behaved so welcome in many places.
A well behaved dog is a world away from an untrained frantic one.

My dog is well trained, As are those of friends- quiet and unobtrusive, because they have had effort put into them.

I'd absolutely take mine as well.

This.

I say this as someone who has lived through super typhoons in Asia. There is a huge difference between going through one if you live up hills, in a sheltered area, in a modern (brick/concrete) building, or trying to do it if you live in a wooden shack in a fishing village.

Most people feel safest in their home. Many have typhoon/hurricane defences (eg storm shutters) and they want to stay where they are, in the area they know, where they know they have food and resources and a community around them.

The ones that do leave worry, not unreasonably, about looting. If you leave you don’t know when you will be allowed back; you may find that your house sustained damage that is made worse because there was no one to fix it early. You may not be able to go to work; bear in mind that a lot of people need every last penny of their pay check and can’t afford time off. And what of people who have complex or unique issues - dialysis, disabilities, parole restrictions, restraining orders, relatives who are unable to evacuate, cattle farmers, medics. The list is endless.

I wouldn’t judge people who stay unless I had a lot of information about their circumstances. Everything in life involves risk assessment. Unless you know every circumstance of an individual, you can’t walk in their shoes.

People in Florida have had news overhype things over and over, then minimal impact from hurricane. Hitting 20 miles away can then mean the impact is much lower than predicted. Someone else gets the bad experience

Kinda horrified I might see some one dragged into the sea 😫

It’s horrendous. The 2 boys standing on the wall 😱

Absolute heart in mouth! Can't look and can't not look.

I would not leave pets behind to be frightened and to starve. I might well send children away, i.e. send them to the shelter with someone else. Animals are sentient beings, why leave them to suffer? I now have no young children so if the choice was that I leave without my dog, or stay with my dog, I'd stay.
Also farmers, or animal breeders have no choice but to stay with their animals.

2 Dorks live streaming the hurricane 🌀
😱

Actually, have faced being sandwiched between two massive firefronts, one so extreme it was creating its own weather patterns. So I do know how I would react. When the authorities say get out now, I get out.

If people can envisage risking their lives and their families' lives for a pet, surely it would be sensible to work out a plan to evacuate the pet well in advance? Exposing them to danger isn't particularly helpful to them.

It’s common sense.
It’s a mandatory evacuation order.
What you DO is evacuate.*
Why? Because after the hurricane hits and the damage is catastrophic and you need help, the emergency response personnel can’t get to you.
I repeat: It’s common sense.

There's someone walking around with a phone. Looks very spooky now.

People were told to do that so they can be identified.

I would rather be in a house than a car.