Central, South Florida residents packing up ahead of Hurricane Dorian

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Hurricane Dorian approaches, some residents in Central and South Florida are choosing to leave before official evacuations have been ordered.

“I experienced it two years ago, and I waited too long,” explained Marty Cain, evacuating from Lake Wales. “The gas lines were crazy, so I figured it was time to scoot up.”

Cain is traveling from Lake Wales in Central Florida to Pennsylvania. He said he decided to move up a previously scheduled trip after he saw the projected path of Dorian.

“The outside furniture, we brought in. We have neighbors that we gave the keys to. They are taking care of the house and making sure everything’s okay," Cain said.

Cain is one of many travelers who chose to leave before the weekend, passing through the I-95 rest stop near the St. Johns-Duval County line. Brad and Vickie Bailey left Titusville on Friday morning headed to North Georgia hoping to avoid traffic.

“This is the right time for us,” Vicki Bailey said. “We will be there in plenty of time. We’ll be there by this evening but then we have to sit up there and worry about home.”

Several hotels in Jacksonville told News4Jax they are starting to receive calls for reservations next week and are preparing in the event evacuees come to Northeast Florida.


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