Driving to beat Irma

[JackieO]

We sent bottled water over to a friend of ours yesterday cause she couldn't find any to mix her baby's formula with. She's an attorney, her husband is one as well, and they could only hunt for supplies after work. They barely had any bottled water. Meanwhile, I'm on here reading about tourist buying giant cases for their hotel rooms. Do they have the right to buy them? Absolutely. Does that make me happy that they're here buying stuff locals/evacuees need cause they just could not delay their vacation? Well.......

Our local economy depends on tourism. I almost never begrudge the tourist coming here and I understand many people, especially foreign nationals, got stuck here or underestimated the hurricane. I grew up in New England and I moved to Florida a week before Charley. I understand the power of these storms but this is the first time I've dealt with one of this magnitude.

People expressed frustration with you because people who 1) live here 2) fled to Orlando out of necessity have had issues finding the supplies they need to get them through the storm. You chose to put yourself at risk when so many of us didn't have a choice. I'm very worried about my family and my house. The idea of people coming down here now to enjoy a vacation during a giant hurricane flabbergasts me. People will and have died in this storm. This is serious.

In any case, I wish you and your family well. I hope we all make it through this storm ok.

You are concerned for your family and friends. I can totally understand your frustration. Just so you know, we traveled down with food and water from our home state.