DETROIT – Detroiters cut their trips short and Florida residents packed whatever essentials they could fit in their suitcase to escape Hurricane Dorian.
Many spoke with Local 4 and described the scene from areas impacted by the catastrophic storm.
"It’s a war zone. Everything’s boarded up. No one is on the streets," said Jay Bressler, who lives just three miles from a beach.
The family moved to Florida seven years ago. Hurricane Dorian brought them back.
"After it turned towards us we decided to get out. We were going to drive to Atlanta, but then they were in storm, so it shifted," Bressler said.
The family is staying at a hotel in Birmingham. "We have tickets until Saturday and hopefully the next couple of days we can go back," he said.
Before flying back home a day early, Kurt Brandley was helping his friends prepare for the worst.
"I was scared. What in the heck is going on? I was a little worried," Brandley said.
He says flights out of Fort Lauderdale were packed with travelers trying to get out in time.
"It is hard for me to understand, coming from Michigan. I was thinking it was like a snowstorm. It’s not even comparable," he said.
Aaron Quintana just so happened to be coming to Detroit for work.
"They closed the airport at noon, so we just lucked out that our flight went out," he said. He’s in constant communication with friends who stayed behind.
"We have a friend who’s watching the condo and another one who is keeping us updated," he added.
He’s managing the national tour of "Cats," and with performances at the Fisher, he says the timing couldn’t be better.
"You know it is beautiful and sunny, really nice," Quintana said.