Preparing for the Impact of Hurricane Milton: Evacuation Areas & Essential Safety Measures

They have recommended that everyone in a household is familiar with the hurricane plans they’ve made. This may include catering for those at work, children’s daycare, and other frequently visited locations such as grocery stores.

Additionally, the government suggests that households should stock adequate supplies. Some recommended items are medications, disinfectants, and Pet supplies that are carried in the go-bag or car trunk. Access to these supplies may be limited for days or even weeks after a hurricane.

Households also need to clear drains and gutters, secure outdoor furniture, and consider installing hurricane shutters. It is highly valuable to charge a cell phone and invest in backup charging devices for electronics when a hurricane is forecasted.

2. Stay Informed

In this step, it’s crucial for households to know if they live in an evacuation zone, listed at the end of this article, as they may need to evacuate quickly due to a hurricane. They should familiarize themselves with evacuation routes. They can also practice evacuating with their household and Pets, and determine where they will stay.

Households should follow the guidance of local emergency managers, who collaborate with state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies. They will provide up-to-date recommendations based on the specific threats to your community and the necessary safety measures.

3. Check On Your Neighbors

Reach out to your neighbors, especially seniors or those who may require extra assistance, to ensure they have adequate hurricane plans in place. Offer your help in securing their preparations and provide support wherever needed.

4. Stay Out of Flood Water

Households should avoid entering floodwaters, as even six inches of fast-moving water can knock people off their feet. They should prioritize their safety and steer clear of any flooded areas.

5. Turn Around and Do Not Drown

People should be aware that just one foot of moving water can easily sweep away a vehicle. They should stay vigilant and avoid driving through flooded areas. Avoid walking, swimming, or driving through flood waters at all times. When encountering such a scenario, they should turn around.

6. Take Care of Your Mental Health

Lastly, individuals should prioritize their mental health during and after a hurricane. It’s important to acknowledge any feelings of anxiety or stress and seek support if needed. Connect with friends, family, or mental health professionals to discuss your concerns and find coping strategies.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has emphasized the need for households to pay attention to the evacuation zones as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s west coast. She warned the residents, “I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die.”

Tampa is located in Hillsborough County. The region has listed compulsory evacuation orders for those in Zones A and B, as well as those who live in mobile homes. Tampa has urged residents of these areas to evacuate as Hurricane Milton is “literally catastrophic.”

Evacuation Zones

Charlotte County: It has issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents in Red Zone-A and Orange Zone-B, including those living in mobile and manufactured homes.

Citrus County: It has given a mandatory evacuation order that began on October 8, 2024, for all residents living in campers, tents, mobile homes, manufactured homes, or any structures unable to withstand sustained winds of up to 110 MPH.

Collier County: A voluntary precautionary evacuation is effective immediately for all residents in Collier County in Zones A and B. This includes west of Airport Pulling Road and south of US-41 Tamiami Trail E.

The order covers mobile home residents and areas with a history of storm flooding. A mandatory evacuation for all of Zones A and B began on October 8, 2024.

DeSoto County: It has issued evacuation orders for Zones A (Red) and B (Orange). These areas affect all residents living in mobile and manufactured homes, as well as those in low-lying or flood-prone areas.

Clay County: Currently, there are no mandatory evacuation orders, but residents in low-lying or flood-prone areas, especially along Black Creek or the St. Johns River, are strongly encouraged to consider relocating for safety.

Hardee County: On October 7, 2024, Hardee County Emergency Management advised residents in low-lying areas, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and unsafe structures to evacuate as soon as possible.

Glades County: This county has implemented a voluntary evacuation for mobile homes, RV parks, and low-lying areas, which started on October 8, 2024.

Hillsborough County: This county has announced a mandatory evacuation for Evacuation Zones A and B, including all mobile homes and manufactured housing throughout the county, which started on October 7, 2024.

Hernando County: Mandatory evacuation orders for all areas west of US 19, including evacuation zones A, B, and C began on October 8, 2024. This includes all residents in coastal and low-lying areas, as well as those in manufactured homes countywide.

Levy County: A mandatory evacuation is in effect affecting all mobile homes, manufactured homes, recreational vehicle parks, coastal communities, and low-lying areas west of US 19. Hurricane risk shelters have opened at Bronson Elementary for special needs and Bronson Middle High School for general population/Pet-friendly evacuations.

Lee County: It has issued mandatory evacuation orders for Zones A and B, urging residents to finalize emergency plans and evacuate as soon as possible. They should aim to be in a safe location by the evening of October 8, 2024.

Manatee County: This county has issued a mandatory evacuation for all residents in Levels A, B, and C, including visitors in RVs or mobile homes, effective October 7, 2024.

Marion County: The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management officials have recommended evacuation for residents living in mobile homes, RVs, modular-type homes, and site-built homes constructed before 1994 due to the hurricane’s projected path.

Miami-Dade County: This county has announced a voluntary evacuation center for residents of mobile home parks, opening the E. Darwin Fuchs Pavilion on October 8, 2024, as a pet-friendly evacuation option.

Okeechobee County: A voluntary evacuation has been issued for all low-lying areas and mobile homes starting October 8, 2024.

Pasco County: This county has mandated evacuations for Zone C as the hurricane approaches. Evacuations are required for those in Zones A, B, or C, as well as residents in manufactured homes, RVs, low-lying areas, or structures prone to flooding.

Volusia County: A mandatory evacuation order took effect on October 9, 2024, for all areas east of the Intracoastal Waterway, including residents in manufactured and mobile homes, low-lying and flood-prone areas, as well as campsites and RV parks.

Sumter County: Residents in mobile homes, low-lying areas, or with special needs are strongly urged to consider evacuation or relocating to a shelter when they open.

Sarasota County: Residents in Sarasota County living in Level A or near Level A, as well as those in manufactured home communities or mobile/boat homes, are advised to implement their evacuation plans immediately, whether that involves staying with friends or leaving the area.

Pinellas County: Pinellas County has enacted a mandatory evacuation order for all residents in Zones A, B, and C, as well as all mobile homes. Special needs residents and residential Healthcare facilities in these zones are also included in the evacuation order.

Putnam County: A recommended evacuation has been issued for Zones F and A due to concerns regarding high river levels.

Obeying the directives issued by local authorities and noting the evacuation zones ensures that families can evacuate safely and efficiently. This also allows emergency services to respond effectively to those in need.

My Daughter-in-Law Tossed My Belongings Out After Finding Out She Inherited the House, but Karma Came for Her That Very Day

The finality hit me when I turned to leave.

Dad was truly gone. I tightened my grip on the box as if holding onto it could somehow keep him with me. When I reached my car, silent tears were slipping down my cheeks.

I sat in the car and cried until my tears ran out. My phone beeped and rang several times, but it was just Matt. He was probably worried about me, but some grief you have to wade through alone.

The last thing I expected to find when I arrived home was my whole life strewn across the front lawn like some kind of unholy estate sale.

The wind picked up, scattering the memories I’d so carefully packed into boxes and hauled down from the attic.

Mom’s old recipes, her china, the worn plaid quilt Dad used to nap under, and all his books — it all lay out in the open, unprotected, as if they meant nothing. I stumbled out of my car, heart pounding.

“What in God’s name…” I muttered, my voice swallowed by the wind.

“Oh, good. You’re finally back. I was getting tired of waiting.”

There, perched on my patio furniture with her designer sunglasses and her too-bright lipstick, was Jessica. My daughter-in-law didn’t even glance up from her phone. She took a leisurely sip from her coffee, and her lips curved in a barely restrained smirk.

“Jessica… What is all this?” My eyes swept over the chaos, disbelief clamping down on my chest. “What are you doing?”

She glanced up, lowering her sunglasses just enough for me to see the disdain in her eyes. She waved a manicured hand dismissively.

“I’m doing what’s necessary. This is my home now, after all.”

A cold knot twisted in my stomach. “Your home? What are you talking about?”

“Looks like you should’ve attended the will reading.” Jessica held up a crisp piece of paper, and there was my father’s signature, clear as day, at the bottom. “Guess your dad knew who deserved it most, huh?”

I swayed, gripping the car door for support. “That’s impossible. Dad would never—”

“Oh, but he did.” She smirked, casually inspecting her perfect manicure.

“Signed, sealed, delivered. The house is mine now.” She leaned in close, her perfume, a cloying, artificial scent, invading my space. “I think it’s time you moved on, Hattie.”

A truck rumbled into the driveway, and my son, Matt, climbed out, his face twisting as he took in the scene. His boots crunched over the gravel as he approached, confusion deepening the crease between his brows.

“What the heck, Jess? First you run out of the lawyer’s office, and now you send me this weird text? What’s going on?” he asked, glancing from me to Jessica, his jaw tight.

She stretched, standing at last, looking smug and at ease in her towering heels. It made my skin crawl. “Like I said, I’m making some necessary changes, honey. And actually, there’s more you should know.”

Matt’s expression hardened with a flash of something I hadn’t seen before. “More than you throwing my mother’s belongings all over the yard?”

“Much more!” Jessica’s laugh was harsh. “I want a divorce.”

The word hung in the air like the final nail in a coffin. Matt’s mouth opened, then closed as he struggled to process. “What? You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am.” Her voice was dripping with disdain. “I’ve spent enough years suffocating in this house, being made to feel like I don’t fit in, like I’m not good enough!” She gestured at the house with a sweep of her arm. “I need a fresh start.”

“You have no right—” I started, but she cut me off with a scornful wave.

“Oh, save it, Hattie. You never wanted me in this family. You looked down on me right from the start, judging me just because I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. Well, now I’m finally getting what I deserve out of you people.”

Matt’s face shifted from bewilderment to anger, his fists clenched. “Everything my family said about you is true,” he said, voice low and trembling. “You really are a covetous witch.”

Jessica’s veneer cracked.

“And you’re a spineless mama’s boy!” she snapped. “Always running to her defense, always putting her first.” She sneered, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at him. “It’s pathetic. You’re just as small-minded as she is.”

“Don’t you dare talk about my son that way!” My voice cut through the silence, sharper than I’d intended.

“I’ll do whatever I want, Hattie.” Jessica set her hands on her hips, her expression smug. “And there’s nothing either of you can do about it.”

“In fact,” Jessica continued. “The two of you had best hurry and clear your stuff off MY lawn, before I call the cops and have them arrest you both.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Matt yelled.

I numbly looked on as Matt confronted Jessica. None of this made sense! Dad hadn’t even liked Jessica! My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Dad’s lawyer.

His voice was a balm, calm and reassuring. “Hattie? I was just about to call you.”

“… really believed I liked you?” Jessica yelled in the background. “You were just a means to an end, a way for me to leave my old neighborhood behind. Now I have the house, I don’t need you anymore!”

“Please,” I whispered to the lawyer. “Tell me she’s lying. There’s no way Dad left his home to Jessica.”

There was a pause, then a warm chuckle.

“You’re right. Your father didn’t leave her the house. It was all a test to get her to show her true colors.”

“A…test?” Relief rushed through me, and I started laughing, tears gathering in my eyes. It was the kind of laugh that came from somewhere deep, a laugh that surprised even me.

Jessica’s face twisted, her confidence faltering. “What are you laughing at?”

“Oh, Jessica,” I managed, still shaking. “You really should have waited for the real will reading.”

“What?”

I let the satisfaction roll through me as I explained. “Dad never left you the house. It was fake — a test to get you to show your true character.”

Matt turned to Jessica, his face a storm of emotions. “Looks like Grandpa’s plan worked.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. She glanced between Matt and me as the realization of what she’d done sunk in. Her confident facade crumbled, her voice turning desperate as she scrambled to save face.

“Matt — baby, please.” She reached out, but he recoiled, the finality in his eyes unmistakable.

“I swear, I never meant it!” She pleaded. “I was just…upset, frustrated. You know I love you!”

He shook his head. “Save it. You want a divorce? You’ve got one.”

As Jessica stomped off the property, her heels sinking with each step, I felt an odd peace settle over me. Dad’s wisdom lived on, a quiet, guiding presence.

Matt and I gathered the remnants of my life from the grass, and I couldn’t help thinking that sometimes the real inheritance isn’t in a house — it’s in the lessons of who truly deserves to be in your life.

Dad would have been proud.