Floridians Prepare to Ride Out Hurricane Irma

Ahead of the hurricane's expected landfall, some Miami residents are making last-minute preparations—and others are cooking up a storm

Workers place hurricane shutters over windows of a building as they prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 8, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida appears to be in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4.
Workers place hurricane shutters over windows of a building as they prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 8, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida appears to be in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. (photo: Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

When Visar Demi, a native Albanian, heard about Hurricane Irma, he knew he was going to ride out the storm in Miami.

Demi had been posted to Costa Rica for work by his multinational shipping company for a two-year assignment and was already living in the Central American nation for two months.

But news of the hurricane brought him back to Miami on Monday.

“My parents and sister live in Miami. I did not think twice about coming back,” he said. “Actually, I wish I had arrived earlier.”

His decision to return to Miami – while millions are evacuating – was based on several factors.

“First, my father who is 75 has a medical condition and cannot really travel. But also, these things depend on people’s culture. We are used to hardship in Albania and it is difficult for us to conceive of leaving our house,” he said.

Demi lived through a Category 4 hurricane in 2004 when it hit Freeport, Bahamas. He knows what to expect.

“I told my parents to expect terrible noise for hours and perhaps banging on the walls of the house as loose objects may be flying in the wind.”

Demi’s family lives in Brickell, an area in downtown Miami, in a two-story house. About 50 percent of his neighbors have evacuated.

“There is a supposed to be storm surge here of between 4 and 12 feet,” he said.

Demi has been checking an app on his phone all day which tells you what height above sea level your location is. His house is supposed to be 20 feet above sea level, so he hopes that his family will be safe. However, he is grateful for their second floor.

“Our house has hurricane impact windows and hurricane shutters on the front and back. I think we will be fine,” he said.

Meanwhile, his mother and sister are cooking up a storm.

“They are still cooking, even as we speak. We can live for weeks on the food and water we have. We don’t have a generator – but we do have gas tanks to cook by BBQ afterward. No one will die from hunger in my house, that is for sure!”

Though some people are worried about living in Miami’s heat afterward, without electricity and air conditioning, Demi shrugs it off. After growing up in Albania, this is nothing. He saw people panicking at stores when bottled water ran out.

“It’s funny. Why were they panicking? We have tap water in Miami. It’s not as if we can’t drink it. We bought seven buckets and have filled up every bottle in the house.”

There are long lines at Home Depot for sand bags, with people panicking and buying just about anything they can find. All the plywood is gone.

When asked if he is apprehensive, Demi says he feels very calm.

“No, we aren’t scared. You can be in a dangerous situation anywhere. You can never have perfect control in life. You have to leave a certain amount of your life up to faith.”

All they can do is prepare as much as possible and wait.

One thing that Demi is grateful for is how organized the government has been in Miami in terms of giving out information and making sure that everyone has gasoline. He feels like everyone has had to enough time to prepare.

“In a way, these events have really brought people together. All my neighbors who decided to stay are helping each other out. People keep asking each other if they need help.”