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Indiana families flee Florida ahead of Hurricane Dorian

Hoosier families flee Florida

News 8 Daybreak at 8 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Several Indiana families are in Hurricane Dorian’s path, and some aren’t sticking around for the experience.

Daybreak’s Brenna Donnelly spoke to Indianapolis native Gary Miller early Friday morning about his family’s plans to end their vacation early.

“We are leaving today and we want to make sure we have plenty of time to get off the island before we’re stuck here,” Miller said, adding that he and his wife both work and can’t risk getting stranded in Florida.

Miller says he and his wife’s current vacation spot on Amelia Island in northeastern Florida isn’t often hit by hurricanes. They planned to stay until Tuesday and then fly home, but are packing up and leaving in a car Friday for the 13 hour drive home to Indy.

“Because this is an island, there’s only one bridge, and they’ll close that down if the winds get above 45 mph,” Miller said. “And that would make us shelter for who knows how long.”

Hurricane Dorian is expected to hit Florida’s east coast late Monday night as a Category 4 storm, then turn north and drop 10+ inches of rain inland, according to Storm Track 8 meteorologists. Winds could be as strong as 130 mph.

Miller also described the feeling among people in Florida as “concerned,” remembering their trip to the grocery store Wednesday.

“All of the water was off the shelves,” he said, “The grocery itself was not crowded. People weren’t rushing around grabbing things off the shelves, but all the water was gone and iI understand some stores were rationing water.”

Miller also resort staff have been unhelpful in helping tourists understand what’s coming and how to stay safe. He said most people there are relying almost solely on local news.

View from Amelia Island, FL Thursday before Hurricane Dorian
Courtesy: Gary Miller

As of Friday morning, every county in Florida is under a state of emergency.

Hurricane Dorian could be the strongest hurricane to hit Florida’s east coast since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, according to meteorologists.