Arizonans in Florida ride out Hurricane Milton

TAMPA, FL — Jaclyn Beckinghausen just moved from Chandler to Tampa.

“I got my welcome with two back-to-back hurricanes,” she joked.

Beckinghausen is one of thousands of Floridians who evacuated the state’s west coast ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival.

In an interview with ABC15 a few hours before losing power, she said, “I’m currently in Orlando, but I live in Tampa, so I had to evacuate two days ago. Right now we’re just bracing for the hurricane.”

Residents even miles inland stocked up on food and boarded up their homes to protect against hurricane-force winds.

While most people headed away from the coast, others headed towards it.

A small group of Arizona men helping in the areas of North Carolina decimated by Hurricane Helene headed south to Florida on Wednesday in anticipation of Hurricane Milton’s destruction.

The group started checking the locations of people stuck in the storm and not able or willing to evacuate.

“One of our addresses is an elderly couple one of which has dementia, so I can only assume that they are not prepared for the level of this storm,” said Arizona volunteer Adam Alexander. “If we can go out there and provide assistance to those people, then that’s more than worth the trip.”

When Marine veteran Drew Falco was asked about his concerns about heading into a Category 5 hurricane, he said, “I’m worried, but I’m also worried about not getting to that man, woman, or child that desperately needs help. It’s like my biggest concern. I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight unless I’m out there.”

The supplies the men brought with them were almost entirely donations from Arizona businesses and residents.