Hurricane Milton: Evacuations and Resilience Along Florida's Gulf Coast

Facing the Storm: How Florida Residents Responded to Hurricane Milton

In Florida’s gulf coast people prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Milton by either getting out of the region as advised by official or stayed behind. Late Wednesday afternoon there were almost no people on the streets of coastal cities: people rushed to embark to evacuate even if they have had not made up their mind earlier. For those who stayed behind, the advice was clear: be prepared to stay at home and lock themselves up.

Amanda Champ, of Anna Maria Island, north of Sarasota, left her home with her husband, children and two dogs on the Monday to seek shelter in Alabama. She also told me she feels frightened about her home, as when she said, “I’m afraid that I will not have one, I mean the house will just be pulled down. They will say I’m overemotional, I’m hysterical, I’m frightened that my island is going to sink into the water.

Champ scared the storms brought a lot of confusion to families she was concerned and said, “I’m confuse or maybe I don’t know what to expect.” The police chief, William Tokajer, for instance, advised islanders who decided to stay behind to use Sharpies to write their information on their arms, in case they would be hard to identify when the storm was over. He said he is sure there are no more residents in the island.

Self-employed, Champ owns a coconut business in Tacloban and said that she found her son’s view during the evacuation very suitable. In the end as we were preparing to move, my nine year old son told me, ‘I do not require anything.’ He only wore some clothings, he did not want to be given anything else. I mean he’s like ‘There are people that need stuf fmore than me.’ They moved to a Gulf Shores condo and she was looking forward to constructing her stall for a planned shrimp festival when the hurricane struck its fear in her.

Instead, Sherry Hall and her family decided to remain in their house in Terra Nova which is located forty miles south of Anna Maria Island near Venice. They believed they are ready when faced with a storm surge of up to 15 feet, SHUTTERS SAND BAGS SPORTING GENERATORS AND HAVE ENOUGH PROVISIONS TO LAST THEM DURING A STORM. A part from that the apprehension was evident, however the respondents expressed self confidence in their abilities Hall had a good preparation. I’m not saying that I’m not going to be running scared at certain moments during the shooting of the film. Multiplying by me and my husband, no we are fine, but when you have children, you start worrying about them,” she said.

Hall agreed with the warnings of the local authorities to say it that at a certain point, they cannot come and rescue you. These are telling people when they decided that they are going to remain in their homes then that is their responsibility. Quite a number of them in their community used these clear directives to make informed decisions.

Another hotel general manager who decided to stay at the hotel was Christine Bottger of Clearwater Beach Holiday Inn. Well, we live in a fairly neighborhood and we rent a fairly solid house. Not that I would have had to stay that long but by the time I would have ordered a taxi to leave, we would be left stranded without a hotel room then maybe be stranded on an interstate, not somewhere I wanted to be during a storm,” she said.

Bottger said that the hotel was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene which occurred two weeks prior to speaking to him and contractors were still refurbishing it. She said that any crack from Milton would prolong the period for repair and rehabilitation but opined that their over 120 employees could help in correction of the damage. “It is something that we can do, we can get the power companies in and provide them with a clean room an with a bed and they can help get the infrastructure back on its feet,” she said.

Champ, Hall and Bottger all testified that the local officials had conveyed the evacuation orders in a way that was personal to them and more effective that merely state or federal announcements. Bottger acknowledges, “This time people focused on it and began taking it seriously when they saw 180 mph winds being discussed.” It opened their eyes.”

Hurricane Milton continues as a force in the depicted region, and the reactions of people are as fearing, hopeful, and strongly engaged, at the same time, as the disaster itself can be.

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