As Hurricane Helene continues to strengthen, local and state officials throughout Florida have activated emergency plans and are urging residents to evacuate sooner rather than later.
“We are going to have a significant impact from this storm,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters during a news conference Wednesday morning.
But when it comes to evacuating from the path of a major storm like Helene, some residents in hurricane-prone areas have no choice but to stay put and ride things out.
Whether it’s first responders, people working in animal shelters, those with disabilities or people with a language barrier, the reality is often far more complicated for those who can’t quickly get up and evacuate to safety.
“Evacuation is not as easy as it may seem if you are outside of the evacuation area,” Cara Cuite, an assistant extension specialist in the Department of Human Ecology at Rutgers University, told NPR in 2022.
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