No, not really. Most houses in Florida are wood frame on concrete slabs with no special shelter rooms. Bathrooms often have a window or skylight.
If you don't have a windowless bathroom with no skylight, it's safer to shelter in a windowless hallway, utility room, or a walk-in closet if your house is taking damage in a hurricane. My family spent Hurricane Michael in a hallway.
But water (storm surge) actually kills a lot more people than wind. People in areas susceptible to storm surge need to GTFO when they are told to evacuate.
Having said that, if you're near the coast and there is a Cat 4 or 5 storm headed your way, even if you're not in danger of storm surge flooding, I would leave.
Even if your house survives, you're looking at weeks if not months without utilities, and weeks of difficulty getting even the most basic supplies (food, clean water, ice, hygiene items, medicines, gas, pet food, etc.). Trust me: it's not fun.
Don't you guys have a solid walled bathroom in the middle of the house that doubles as hurricane shelter?
No, not really. Most houses in Florida are wood frame on concrete slabs with no special shelter rooms. Bathrooms often have a window or skylight.
If you don't have a windowless bathroom with no skylight, it's safer to shelter in a windowless hallway, utility room, or a walk-in closet if your house is taking damage in a hurricane. My family spent Hurricane Michael in a hallway.
But water (storm surge) actually kills a lot more people than wind. People in areas susceptible to storm surge need to GTFO when they are told to evacuate.
Having said that, if you're near the coast and there is a Cat 4 or 5 storm headed your way, even if you're not in danger of storm surge flooding, I would leave.
Even if your house survives, you're looking at weeks if not months without utilities, and weeks of difficulty getting even the most basic supplies (food, clean water, ice, hygiene items, medicines, gas, pet food, etc.). Trust me: it's not fun.