Evacuate—The Smart Way

By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-05-25 17:03:00-04:00

Preparedness Principle: Evacuate—the smart way.

Who: Louise Daniels, 80

Where: Naples Land Yacht Harbor

Hit by What Storm: Wilma

What Happened: A longtime mobile home resident, she remembered the damage inflicted by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Following experts' advice, she evacuated "tens of miles, not hundreds of miles"—in fact, only seven miles, and stayed with friends from church for a week. Even only seven miles away from her home, storm damage at her evacuation location (a solidly built brick home) was much less severe.

It Got Better When: She only evacuated a short distance. Wilma ripped the carport off her mobile home, "opening it up like a sardine can," she says. But her friends' brick home "only had some trees down." Power soon returned, stores were opened, and she was nearby to check on things at her home.

Words to weigh: At 80, she still drives, but is reluctant to evacuate a long distance. "A hundred miles in my car? No, no. I hardly drive anymore—I do drive to the store and the doctor. A hundred miles? No."


Related Articles

Other Resources

 

More Articles on Housing Options »

preview