LAKELAND, Fla. -- Hurricane Florence evacuees are already starting to make their way to Florida.
- Marines evacuate to Lakeland as Florence nears the Carolinas
- Marine Corps Air Station New River, Camp Lejune located 30 minutes from coast
- LATEST ON HURRICANE FLORENCE
The storm is headed toward the Carolina coasts.
Marine Corps Air Station New River and Camp Lejune are located just 30 minutes from the coast.
Non-essential personnel were allowed to leave Tuesday, and many headed to Florida, including Savannah Reynolds.
“They’re kind of are planning for the worst. They said it’s pretty much going to flood the whole place out. People are really scared they’re going to lose their houses and stuff. Being right on the coast, we just wanted to make sure we got as far away from it as possible before it hit,“ said Reynolds, a helicopter mechanic in the Marine Corps.
Reynolds arrived at her parents’ home at 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.
“The best surprise ever. Absolutely. We got to see her Labor day and thought it was going to be the last time we would see her for awhile,” said Savannah’s mother, Cyndee Reynolds.
Reynolds brought two of her fellow marines with her.
“The plane tickets were really expensive so I didn’t have the money to drop one on a dime and also Savannah is my best friend on base and she offered, so I just took the chance to get out while I could,” said Rachel Myers, who is from California and doesn’t have a car.
She said she had two days to come up with an evacuation plan.
If they stayed, they’d be on lock down at the air station, riding the hurricane out in a shelter.
“I don’t know how this is going to go down. I just thought it’d be better to get out of there instead of have my first hurricane experience be in the middle of a hurricane,” said Myers.
The marines said they’re trying not to think about the worst that could happen and in fact, they’re trying to use this time to have a little fun in Florida.
“We’re hoping to go to Disney one day and then one day my family is going to the springs so we’re going to go with them,” Reynolds said.
They’re hoping for the best.
“I really don’t think this hurricane is going to be as bad as they say it is,” said Chris Skroblus, a Marine from Utah who also didn’t have a car.
Their air station is expected to receive strong winds, rain, flooding, and coastal storm surge.
"I’m worried about my friends and I’m worried about our aircraft,” Myers said.
The marines said it took them 12 hours to get to Lakeland, two hours longer than usual.