The employees in our Clearwater office are under mandatory evacuation, I imagine most of Florida is or will be under the same order. This thread is for Florida members to check in as safe and or update status and conditions if possible if not evacuated

Florida Evacuation Zones

Most of the evac zones (A thru E) are on the coasts or along water features. The interior (including interior of coastal counties) largely have no or few evac zones. As of now Zone A in the Tampa Bay area (Pinellas/Hillsborough/Manatee) is under mandatory evac order. We'll see about B and C.

Miami and others south have Zones A thru C mandatory as of now.

I am in zone E and live four miles due east of the Bay. That roughly means if hit by a Cat 5 I may have to evacuate. However, due west from me is a barrier island, a channel and then a large area of mangrove forest that sucks up storm surge.

I'll do as always and ride it out. I got all we need for supplies. My biggest concern is losing power but even that is usually short as I am 3 miles from a power plant. Through Charley, Frances, Jeanne and Wilma I lost power for more than 3 hours only with Charley.

Stay safe all.

Today, Charlotte county officials recommended Zone A, the red zone, evacuate. We left early yesterday to avoid the rush. We're south of Columbus, GA and since it looks like the storm will be here on Tuesday, we're going to Mobile, AL for at least Monday and Tuesday nights. We're a bit open on when we will go back. School will most assuredly be closed on Tuesday and maybe Wednesday and we don't want our kids to miss any days the school is open. On the other hand, I'm sure that most of the people that left will try to get back the first possible day and the roads will be parking lots.

My wife is currently stressed out because her mother and father (both of whom are great people and normally very cautious) have decided not to evacuate. They live in Citrus County FL and could have easily come to my place (East Orlando) or to their other daughter's house (Alachua County) we both have plenty of space and the drive would not be bad at all. They are not to be swayed.

I am not sure why they've decided to be hard headed about this but I am somewhat surprised by this out of character behavior.

Boarded up and hunkered down in north Pinellas county. I am in a non-evacuation area and will ride it out. Power is also my biggest concern. Will finish up prep tomorrow and then perhaps watch a football game or two before it hits us Sunday.

Everything is prepared here. Been thru numerous Hurricanes since we moved here in 57. So generator checked out,water and food laid up. Wife's supply of Xanax at the ready !! And of course outside picked up and shutters firmly affixed. We be hunkered down and just hope Jose doesn't decide to follow Irma. When we went thru three in a row in 04 it was just a tad too much.

quote:

Today, Charlotte county officials recommended Zone A, the red zone, evacuate. We left early yesterday to avoid the rush. We're south of Columbus, GA and since it looks like the storm will be here on Tuesday, we're going to Mobile, AL for at least Monday and Tuesday nights. We're a bit open on when we will go back. School will most assuredly be closed on Tuesday and maybe Wednesday and we don't want our kids to miss any days the school is open. On the other hand, I'm sure that most of the people that left will try to get back the first possible day and the roads will be parking lots.

I have experience with that which should help. You do not wish to return until basic services are restored, ie water, power, and law enforcement. I had school age kids during Katrina. The schools are flexible. Depending on the severity of the storm, access will be tightly controlled for security and safety reasons. It is ideal if you have a neighbor that stayed to let you know how your property fared. If you have damage, there is not a lot you can do immediately. Your insurance company understands those issues. Returning early, means you just add to the problem.

Florida folks are showing up here in Gulfport, Ms. We have entire families staying here in hotels that left Texas for Harvey.
Hope this helps.

I self-evacuated already and was a hot mess then. It has to be much worse now. Our youngest college son didn't take our offer up to leave with us and he's now stuck. He tried to drive out at 1 AM this morning, gave up and came home. All he did was waste time and burn a quarter tank of gas. I-75 north of Tampa was a parking lot.

My coworker is trying to get her father to leave the path of the storm. Lives on the beach in S. Florida. Offered to buy him tickets up here, still won't come.

He texted her a picture of his Hurricane Preparedness kit. Can't help wondering if he might be a SIGforum member?

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Today, Charlotte county officials recommended Zone A, the red zone, evacuate. We left early yesterday to avoid the rush. We're south of Columbus, GA and since it looks like the storm will be here on Tuesday, we're going to Mobile, AL for at least Monday and Tuesday nights. We're a bit open on when we will go back. School will most assuredly be closed on Tuesday and maybe Wednesday and we don't want our kids to miss any days the school is open. On the other hand, I'm sure that most of the people that left will try to get back the first possible day and the roads will be parking lots.

I believe your schools will be closed a week or 2 at least. Even if not directly effected, schools will be use for shelter, and emergency ration storage/distribution centers.
Unless something changes, south and central Florida will be drastically changed for a while.

I'm in western Broward County. House is shuttered up and prepped. Heading up to Martin County first thing in the morning to join family.

Buttoned up here in Apopka (Orlando area). Seems like they're now predicting it will pass to our West, which means we end up on the bad side

Plenty of supplies for 2+ weeks, we should be fine as long as the roof stays on...

Good luck guys, stay safe, hug your family.

We live just east of Tallahassee in the panhandle. I crossed over I-10 several times today and witnessed bumper to bumper traffic headed west. Barely moving 20 mph at times. Secondary roads heading west all had heavy traffic. I witnessed gas tankers with their FHP escorts resupplying stations. These stations were packed as you can imagine. We are praying that the storms eye stays east of us. We are prepared here for all but a direct hit.
Prey for those traveling so far from home.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
...Preparedness kit. Can't help wondering if he might be a SIGforum member?

...

Unlikely.

No bacon...

Thanks ZSMICHAEL and smithnsig. I didn't leave for Charley, but I didn't have a wife and three kids either. This is a much larger storm than Charley. I don't know why I feel the need to make sure my kids don't miss school. I was relieved on Tuesday when the school canceled classes for Thursday, Friday, and Monday. It made the decision to leave when we did easy. I'm also glad we did leave when we did as it wasn't a bad trip.

We aren't the only ones at this state park in GA. The people in the campsite next to us are from Sarasota. They got here about 5:00pm. They left late last night and spent a few hours resting in a parking lot. They work for Lowes and were worried that they'd lose their jobs if they left. Their boss told them not to worry about it. The couple next to them came up from the Jolly Roger RV Resort on Marathon with their two kids. There's another couple with three kids from Tampa that arrived this morning. There are at least a dozen other Floridians here that I haven't met yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
He texted her a picture of his Hurricane Preparedness kit.

Does he have a personal flotation device and locator beacon? 12+ foot surge in south Florida.

I'm in the "A zone" evacuation zone. My backyard is a canal, that goes right to the Gulf. I could have water in my house.

I want to go to the east coast tomorrow to stay with family, but wife wants to go to her dads house inland about 10 miles.

I think the storm is going to keep going further west, which would mean more wind and storm surge for me. Yay. This storm is going to make Charley look like a kids game.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
My coworker is trying to get her father to leave the path of the storm. Lives on the beach in S. Florida. Offered to buy him tickets up here, still won't come.

He texted her a picture of his Hurricane Preparedness kit. Can't help wondering if he might be a SIGforum member?

My coworker's mom stepdad and stepbrother have moved into the brothers place. She wants (wanted) to leave. Lots of fighting. They missed the window to bug out I'm afraid. Sarasota/Bradenton area might be okay or not. Irma's isn't slowing down fast enough. I have aunt and uncle in lakeland..they might be able to step outside when the eye passes over. Sunday will be another national day of prayer for sure.

I have good friends who just moved to Englewood earlier this year. He won't go and she won't go unless he does. So they are staying. hope the best for them and all the others.