Checking In On A Couple Who Plan To Weather The Storm

Lisa and Stan Heilblum live in Kendall in Miami-Dade County. Scott Simon talks with them about staying home for Irma after putting up shutters and stocking up on tuna.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

And of course back to the major story of the day - watching and waiting for Hurricane Irma. Lisa (coughing) and Stan Heiblum - forgive me - have decided they will stay in their home in Kendall in Miami-Dade County. Stan Heiblum joins us on the phone now.

Mr. Heiblum, thanks for being with us.

STAN HEIBLUM: Thank you.

SIMON: How do you feel?

HEIBLUM: I feel much better hearing the latest reports about Irma staying west, although I feel bad for the people on that coast, obviously. But, you know, we're kind of glued to the reports. And hopefully, it doesn't move back east.

SIMON: Yeah. But you - I mean, you could still put up with a lot. I'm thinking your power could go out. You could have a problem with your...

HEIBLUM: We...

SIMON: ...Plumbing, a lack of food, you know.

HEIBLUM: Yes. Well, certainly, the power we expect to go out. And after Andrew, that was a big part, where we were out of power for more - for weeks. Some people were out of power for weeks. So that certainly is something we're kind of prepared for, although not happy about.

SIMON: Yeah.

HEIBLUM: And foodwise, we have what we think is enough food to get by for at least a week.

SIMON: Well, how do you prepare for something like this, Mr. Heiblum?

HEIBLUM: Well, you have to - you know, in our house, we have shutters. So you have to put up shutters. You have to go shopping. You have to try not to freak out when you see the storm and the way it's shown on TV and, you know, the unfortunate impacts on the Caribbean and other islands. So a lot of it is not only the physical preparation, which takes a lot of work, but it's also the mental preparation.

SIMON: May I ask, sir, did you and your wife just not want to stay in a shelter, didn't want to get in the car in a huge traffic jam, didn't want to try and fly - why'd you decide to stay?

HEIBLUM: Well, my mom is - I have my mom, who is nearby. And she's 94 years old.

SIMON: Yeah.

HEIBLUM: And she felt more comfortable staying. We didn't feel like, if we left, we'd be able to get back here. Because of the potential impacts, it could be a week or more that you'd get back, so we felt uncomfortable. We have dogs who we wouldn't leave. And then we'd have to travel. And we're also not in an evacuation zone. So I think a lot of people listening to the news thinks all of Florida is being evacuated. It's not true. It's where the storm surges are. It's where you're close the water. It's where you have certain risks. We're not in any of those areas.

SIMON: Stan Heiblum of Kendall, Fla., who's going to stay, whatever happens, as Hurricane Irma arrives.

Mr. Heiblum, thanks very much for being with us. And good luck to you over these next few days, sir.

HEIBLUM: Thank you. I enjoy NPR. And thank you for calling.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SIMON: Well, thanks for that, too.

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