Buffalo native riding out Milton near Tampa: 'We're about nine miles inland'

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Staying put or getting out of harm's way. A difficult decision that millions of people have had to make this week, as jaw-dropping Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida.

Sally Durwald grew up in Lancaster. She now lives and works near Tampa in New Port Richey. She and her husband are riding out the storm at their home.

"We're about nine miles inland," Durwald told WBEN on Wednesday morning. "We're in Zone D, which is not under mandatory evacuation."

Her home is a new build, which is under more stringent construction standards post-Hurricane Andrew.

"It should be able to withstand 150 mph winds," she said. "The roof was built
to withstand up to 185 mph winds. We're pretty confident we're in a good area."

It turns out that blizzard preparation in Buffalo is coming in handy for Durwald.

"I've lived my whole life in the Lancaster-Buffalo area and went through plenty of blizzards. The difference with a hurricane, is that there is so much advance warning. But we have a generator, hurricane shutters, plenty of food and water, and we're taking in a couple of friends who live in the Bradenton area (near the Gulf coast)," Durwald said.

Is it worth the price to live in paradise? No question, said Durwald.

"It's all relative," she added. "I would not want to go through what you guys did a couple of Christmases ago."

Durwald has family, friends and former co-workers here in Western New York who are checking in with her regularly as they ride out the storm.