New Brunswicker in Florida likes her chances of riding out Irma

A former New Brunswick woman now living in Florida says she's prepared for the worst as Hurricane Irma barrels toward the tip of the state.

More than 500,000 people have been ordered to leave Florida, but Monique CharronBranam, who lives in Fort Pierce, northof Palm Beach, isn't among them.

"This is the first time I've actuallyconsideredevacuating but I think we have better chances being here," she told Information Morning Monctonon Friday.

• Hurricane warnings for Florida fuel more evacuations as Irma looms offshore
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CharronBranam, who moved to Florida from Fredericton in 1989, saidshe and her husband had already covered all of their windows with plywood and their three patio doors were next.

She said they have been preparing for more than a week and have lots of water, a generator and food to ride out the fast-moving storm.

Possessions are one thing, life is another. Make sure you're safe and your family is safe and whatever happens happens- MoniqueCharronBranam

"The wind is what's going to do the damage on this one," Charron Branam said.

"The flooding will be more on the coastal areas we live probably seven or eight miles from the ocean inland. We're not in an evacuation zone so we should be fine."

CharronBranamsaid she is lucky that people in the neighbourhood havehelped each other get ready for thestorm.

"'Oh, you need a tool,'or, 'Hey, I have an extra sheet of plywood.' Everybody is frightened, with reason, because you just don't know what you're going to wake up to when this passes."

Early Friday, the centre of the storm was 795 kilometres southeast of Miami, closing in at 26 km/h, with maximum sustained winds of 250 km/h.

It is expected to hitthe Florida Keys and the southern tip of the peninsula on Sunday morning, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Feels safe with concrete

CharronBranamsaid people who live in wood frame homes, which could collapse under those winds, have little choice.

"They have to evacuate, but we live in a concrete block house and we are prepared. There's no reason for us to leave. The roads it's like a parking lot you can't get gas. It's probably safer for us to stay home than to leave to be honest."

"Believe me we just tried drilling all the holes to put up plywood," CharronBranamjoked about her concretehome. "It's solid."

CharronBranan said sleep has been difficult over the past few days and she has asked her mother, who lives in Edmundston, to say a prayer.

Not a new experience

"Believe me, she's pretty powerful, and all I can do is hope that people make it out safely," CharronBranamsaid. "Possessions are one thing, life is another. Make sure you're safe and your family is safe and whatever happens happens.

"All we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

• 'A pile of matchsticks': Hurricane Irma hits close to home for New Brunswickers

CharronBranam said Hurricane Irma is not her first hurricane, and she and her husband know it will be scary.

She has considered moving back to New Brunswick many times but said her husband would never leave Fort Pierce.

"[Florida] is beautiful during the winter ... when you guys are full of your blizzards and we're sitting outside having our coffee,it's nice. But this is a big downfall."