A Mount Vernon native, now living on Florida’s Gulf Coast is among those preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Milton late tonight.
Donielle Robertson is Chief Nursing Officer at a healthcare facility near Tampa. “We are putting up shutters,” said Robertson. “We’re making sure that we have all of the equipment and tools and food and supplies in order to be able that we make sure that we’re taking care of our patients as well as our staff.”
She’ll be riding out the storm at work, and prepared her home before heading to her job. “I was finally able to get my hurricane-shutters up last night about eight o’clock with some help,” Robertson said. “My place is all buckled up and hoping everything ends up being ok there.”
Tropical storms and hurricanes are new to Robertson as she arrived in Florida just three months ago. “Going through a tropical storm and a hurricane. Learning all great things I joked this morning about ‘lesson number 362’ about living in Florida,” Robertson laughed. It’s been quite the learning-curve about coming to a different climate with different disasters. But we’re all getting through together, we have great support.”
As of now (2:00 pm EST) Robertson says Hurricane Milton is forecast to arrive around 10 pm eastern time as either a category four or five hurricane which is extremely powerful and dangerous.