Sorry, Joseph.
I lived in Florida during the ‘50s/’60s and think that people who brag about “sticking it out” are being irresponsible, not because they don’t know what they’re doing (as I’m sure you do) but because that sort of talk encourages recent arrivals to do the same. Whereas you probably live in an older house located on high ground that’s been through several storms, they are more likely to be in newer ones built in more vulnerable locations. Along Florida’s west coast during the ‘80s and ’90s, insurance companies wouldn’t give you coverage unless the ground floor of your home could be sacrificed" so that upper floors would stay standing. I think they’re called “wash-away levels” or some such thing.

JW, prosecuted for terrorism sounds kind of strong. Call him jumpy or panicky. I used to think Shepard Smith was as bad as Hannity. But actually he’s one of the saner inmates at the asylum.

Sorry, but I have lived through some major hurricanes as well and “melodrama” is NEVER acceptable.

“This moves 20 miles to the west, and you and everyone you know are dead — all of you — because you can’t survive it,”

This is EXACTLY the kind of shit that makes folks LESS likely to seek out shelter (or heed official warnings) in the future.

Now, there’s no doubt that storm surges are dangerous but there have to be very specific conditions for a storm surge to cause the kind of damage that Smith is hyperbolizing—and virtually none apply to Florida. For some of the barrier islands, less, a 20 foot storm surge would definitely put most of the islands under quite a bit of water—but for inland areas, they have to be close enough to a MAJOR body of water (such as a river, like the St John’s) for the surge to really have any impact as well as being VERY low-lying. Granted, there are a lot of idiots in the Matthew-affected areas of Florida who have homes and businesses built way too close to the coastline and these folks do have genuine cause for concern. But the way Smith’s talking here, he’s making it seem like places like Orlando and Gainesville will be as seriously affected as Jacksonville and the Coast. But here’s some fun information: Even Jacksonville won’t be seriously affected because much of the city is actually above what would be considered major flood zone areas. The St John’s River has a very narrow mouth—about 1/2 mile wide—and it doesn’t widen much more than that for a dozen miles. The River also has twists and turns and a number of islands for most of that distance, and then there’s a major bend in the River, turning south. But the River’s natural flow is from south to north. So combining all those factors, the bigger problem for flooding in most of Jax is from the heavy rains, rather than storm surge.

Again—this shouldn’t remotely minimize the devastation caused from storm surges but Smith was BEYOND irresponsible in his “reporting.” The man should be prosecuted for TERRORISM because that’s EXACTLY what he was doing.

A dire warning is good but my best advice about a hurricane is to have proper perspective. There are some funny anecdotes about fleeing, but if you want to flee, flee.

I have been through a half dozen hurricanes in my life.

EOF, if you’re out there keep this storm in mind. This one sounds like a storm come from hell like Katrina. Really, I still don’t understand how Sandy, a class 1, did so much damage. I just don’t understand.

How bout that warning to Floridians about their fellow Floridians. The one about 9$ a gallon gas. The one about a motel room costing $50 jumping to $200 a night.
Of course this is the land of gov. Rick Scott. Who ripped medicare for about a billion. And they elected this SOB.
Florida man strikes again!!