I think I would have gone down with my little boy.
If I lived on the coast and heart that a Hurricane was coming I would pack a few pair of pants, shirts, undies, my lap top, a bag of dog food, and my dog. It would take less than 30 minutes and I would be GONE. No way am I gonna risk my dogs life and my life just to "ride out a hurricane." That's nuts.
Those who willingly stayed behind killed their pets. Those who couldn't afford to leave ... the Mayor killed them by not deploying the buses to evacuate the poor people.