Families in High Island deciding to stay put as Hurricane Laura nears landfall

BOLIVAR PENINSULA, Texas — Many are making their way to Houston and beyond in efforts to get away from Hurricane Laura, but others are getting ready to ride it out from home.

With boards up on windows and the generator wired in, families on High Island have just hours to go until Hurricane Laura hits the coast.

“We’ve put away everything. We’ve got it in the garages, and we’re just getting prepared for it,” Caden Strimple said.

The waves are getting rough, but Jamie Blackburn, her husband and three sons are staying put.

“It was a hard decision. We’ve never decided to stay during a hurricane, but we’ve never lived in High Island,” Blackburn said.

So named, she said High Island sits 38 feet above sea level.

“So the storm surges shouldn’t affect High Island. Never in recorded history has it flooded in High Island, so we feel safe on top of the hill from flooding and water damage that might rise up,” Blackburn said.

In fact, neighbors are using their land for safe storage.

Blackburn said the only real concern they have is the wind. And if that gets bad, they’ll head to the school gym that doubles as a shelter.

“We’ve always used it for a gym. I don’t think it’s been used as a storm shelter yet, it opens at 3 today,” Blackburn said.

And although many families have hit the road, they’re hunkering down – because it’s their home.

“We just feel safer here without having to deal with the floodwaters,” Blackburn said.

Their generator should last several days, and they’ve got enough food and water for at least a week.