Florida families escaping Milton arrive in Massachusetts, say they fear what's ahead
BOSTON - Florida families continue to arrive in Massachusetts as they escape the impending Hurricane Milton and said they're worried what they'll return home to.
It was a nearly 48-hour odyssey for the Flanders family to get to Boston from Florida to stay with relatives and escape Hurricane Milton.
Flight of desperation
"The weirdest thing is walking away from your house knowing that it probably will not be livable when you get back," said Adam Flanders, who lives in Sarasota, but is originally from a Boston suburb.
His wife Brooke Flanders said they were able to get the last four seats out of Miami International Airport Wednesday morning, after a flight was cancelled earlier in the week. "We had driven on Monday night, we just left and stayed in hotels for a couple of nights," she said.
Friends were already sending videos showing only the beginning of the rain and boarded up Sarasota, but they fear what's ahead.
"If that hits Sarasota, even new FEMA standards, it's going to wipe it out," said Brooke Flanders.
Several passengers on the flight out of Miami said it was a flight of desperation. Ingrid Chaves also drove hours from Orlando with a fear she might not make it, as traffic to evacuate inched along the major highways.
"With anything close to Orlando there was no gas. We actually fueled up two days ago and we wanted to put more gas but there was nothing already," said Chaves.
University of Miami student Zack Baker said he was lucky to get a seat home and believes airlines are taking advantage.
"Normally one way Boston to Miami is not even $150.00 This was $270.00 or something, it's outrageous, the price gouging was crazy. I've never seen it before," said Baker.
Line crews head to Florida
Hard hit areas will be desperate for line crews already stretched thin with Hurricane Helene. Among them is a crew from the Holden Massachusetts Municipal Light Department, who drove eight hours to Orlando after restoring power in Georgia.
"Just making sure that we're getting enough rest, fluids and hydrate. We're going through our gear making sure that's all ready to go, clean because we were working," said lineman Barry Tupper.
The Flanders family said they're fortunate to have a place to go, saying at home it's a worst case scenario.
"This time I think we just realized it has the potential to be so catastrophic. We just locked up what wouldn't be a projectile. And we just burned some sage and hoped for the best," said Brooke Flanders.