Floridians Return Home, Reflecting on Lessons from Hurricane Milton

After Hurricane Milton hit Florida, residents slowly made their way back to their homes along packed highways. Fred Neuman and his wife from Siesta Key evacuated to Destin, a 500-mile trip. They were relieved to hear their house was still standing, despite some damage. Insurance would cover the repairs, they noted. Lee and Pamela Essenburm from Palmetto also evacuated, fearing worse damage than what they found—a tree down in their backyard. The storm killed at least 10 people, causing flooding and destroying the Tampa Bay Rays' baseball stadium roof. Officials credit widespread evacuations for saving more lives. The memory of Hurricane Helene, which struck two weeks earlier, likely encouraged many to leave.

Craig Fugate, former FEMA administrator, explained that seeing real-time devastation can change people's behavior. In Punta Gorda, only three people needed rescue compared to 121 from Helene, thanks to effective evacuation orders. By Friday night, power had been restored to most areas, but St. Petersburg residents were still advised to boil water. Traffic was slow due to the mix of returning residents and utility trucks. Governor Ron DeSantis warned about ongoing hazards like downed power lines. In Pinellas County, the sheriff's office helped residents return to flooded areas. Madeleine Jiron and her family were eager to see what damage Hurricane Milton left behind.

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