BIT TO THE EAST AND SO THAT IS PUTTING BRADENTON, SARASOTA, VEN AND IS THOSE AREAS A LITTLE
MORE IN HARM‘S WAY.
AND OUR COVERAGE IS TURNING NOW
TO THE TAMPA BAY AREA.
>> THAT IS WHERE WE FIND LOCAL
10‘S AN DRIA MARTINEZ.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US?
>> KRISTI, ALEXIS, THERE HAS
NOT BEEN A LOT OF WIND OR RAIN
HERE.
IT HAS PRETTY MUCH BEEN THE
CALM BEFORE THE STORM.
I‘LL TAKE YOU AND GIVE YOU A
LOOK AT WHAT‘S GOING ON JUST
NEARBY US.
THIS IS A PRETTY LOW LYING
BRIDGE THAT WE ARE ON AND
TYPICALLY YOU WOULD SEE THE SEA
WALLS HERE AND THE WAVES JUST
CRASHING AGAINST THEM AND
THAT‘S NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW.
AS A MATTER OF FACT IT‘S PRETTY
CALM AND THAT‘S BEEN GOOD
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE USING THIS
TIME TO GET HOMES READY TO
PREPARE AND STOCK UP.
YOU CAN SEE, I DON‘T KNOW IF
YOU CAN SEE BEHIND THE CAR
PEOPLE GATHERING SAND THERE
INTO THOSE SAND BAGS TO TAKE
BACK HOME AND THAT IS VERY
NECESSARY BECAUSE THE MANDATORY
EVACUATION ZONES, IF YOU‘RE IN
THEM, THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND
THE DEADLINE TO EVACUATE IS
TONIGHT AT 10 P.M.
HUNDREDS OF DRIVERS LINING UP
FOR SAND BAGS ACROSS THE TAMPA
BAY AREA THIS MORNING AS
MONSTER HURRICANE IAN CHURCHES
NORTHWARD IN THE -- CHURNS
NORTHWARD IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.
SOME EVACUATING FOR HOURS.
>> THE RAIN COMES UP ABOUT TWO
FEET IN THE BACKYARD AND IN THE
FRONT
>> THE STORM IS RAPIDLY
STRENGTHENING SXEKTED TO BRING
A LIFE THREATENING STORM SURGE
TO THE COAST AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN 100 YEARS TAMPA COULD
GET A DIRECT HIT.
IN PINELLAS COUNTY PEOPLE
BOARDING UP WINDOWS AS THE
HURRICANE LOOMS AND FLORIDA
REMAINING UNDER A STATE OF
EMERGENCY WITH THOUSANDS OF
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS UNDERWAY
AND SOME 7,000 NATIONAL GUARD
MEMBERS ACTIVATED.
>> SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STORM SURGE
LIKE THIS AND HISTORIC
NROOTING, THAT IS A DIFFICULT
ADVERSARY AND YOU DON‘T WANT TO
PUT YOURSELF IN HARM‘S WAY.
>> FEMA LOWEDING 360 TRAILERS
WITH 2 MILLION MEALS AND
SEVERAL CANCELING CLASS.
>> EXECUTE THE PLAN.
THIS IS IMMINENT.
>> LONG LINES WITH VEFLVELVS
CLEARED OF ESPECIALLIES.
>> DROPPING OFF GAS FOR
GENERATORS AND JUST GETTING
PREPARED.
>> THROUGHOUT FLORIDA GAS
STATION LINES SWELLING AS
PEOPLE GEAR UP TO STAY OR GET
OUT.
>> THEY SAY MANDATORY
EVACUATION, IT‘S TIME TO GO.
>> IT IS TIME TO GO!
AND LIKE I MENTIONED THIS IS A
PRETTY LOW-LYING BRIDGE AND IT
CONNECTS ST. PETE AND TAMPA SO
IT CONNECTS THAT WESTERN AREA
TO THE EAST AND THAT‘S WHY WE
SEE A LOT OF WEST/EASTWARD
TRAFFIC HERE AND THAT‘S WHAT
WE‘RE SEEING ALL DAY ON THIS
CAUSEWAY AND PEOPLE JUST
GETTING OUT.
THEY DON‘T WANT TO BE CLOSE TO
SHORE LIKE THE GOVERNOR
MENTIONED AND THAT SURGE IS THE
BIG CONCERN SO PEOPLE GETTING
OUT AND PREPARING HERE AND LIKE
I MENTIONED, MOSTLY CALM AS
PEOPLE MAKE THESE PREPARATIONS
AND IF THEY ARE STAYING HERE,
IF THEY ARE EVACUATING, THEY‘RE
EITHER GOING INLAND OR REALLY
PREPARING TO HUNKER DOWN.
GUYS?
>> AND ANDREA, YOU‘VE BEEN OUT
THERE ALL MORNING LONG.
WE‘VE SEEN YOU FROM THE SAND
BAGS TO NOW TO THE EVACUATIONS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SHIFT IN
THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE?
>>
>> YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IS REALLY
JUST IN ACTION MODE AND REALLY
JUST PREPARING.
EVERYBODY IS OUT AT THE GROCERY
STORES, AT THE GAS STATIONS
LIKE I MENTIONED AND REALLY
GETTING THEMSELVES PREPARED FOR
THIS AND EVEN GETTING OUT OF
TOWN.
SOME RUSHING TO THE AIRPORT AND
GETTING ON THE FLIGHT TO GET
OUT OF FLORIDA ALL TOGETHER.
BUT REALLY THAT‘S BEEN THE FEEL
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I
TALKED TO HAVE SAID THAT WHILE
THEY ARE BORN AND RAISED HERE
IN TAMPA, THIS YEAR FEELS A
LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE LIKE
WE‘VE BEEN SAYING TH, COULD BE
THAT 100 YEAR STORM.
THAT HISTORIC STORM AND THEY‘VE
BEEN SAYING THIS YEAR DOES FEEL
A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND AGAIN,
THEY‘RE NOT TAKE ANYTHING
CHANCES.
THEY‘RE PREPARING AND DOING
EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE
SURE THEIR HOMES AND FAMILIES
ARE SAFE.
>> DEFINITELY HAD A LOT OF NEAR
MISSES.
I GREW UP IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA