With Hurricane Florence spinning through the Atlantic Ocean and threatening the east coast, Governors in four southeastern states (Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina) have ordered mandatory evacuations.
But as we've seen during previous disasters, many will stay put.
So why do people decide to ignore evacuation orders?
Sometimes they just don't believe the warnings. As Hurricane Irma pounded Florida last September CNN talked to four locals in the Florida Keys who stayed behind, with one saying, "I'm prepared for the worst but hoping for the best."
Others simply don't want to abandon their property, saying they don't want leave their "forever home."
Then there's the financial aspect. Some people just don't have the means to leave everything behind to face the storm, while others figure they can best protect their property, home and belongings against the storm surge and potential looters by hunkering down and riding out the storm.
And perhaps... it's because they know the evacuation orders won't be enforced, and they won't face punishment. In California, if you ignore evacuation orders during a wildfire, you could spend up to six months behind bars! Just three states in the country - and only one in the storm's path - have laws that punish those who refuse to get to safety.