We live in southwest Florida....while we did not sustain the direct hit from Charley...we are just south of Punta Gorda...we were hit with some nasty stuff. My wife and the kids were home while I was at work. We had planned to shelter in place. Things were very rough but managable. When we realized that we were going to be without power for more than a day or two, we decided that it would be best for my wife and kids to go to her parents in Miami (they had electricity). We've seen both sides. Both have benefits and drawbacks.