A word to the wise from someone that took a direct hit from Charley. Prepare. Take personal responsibility for you own safety.
For example: if people in NOLA would have built those houses on stilts they might have lost cars but the houses would still be standing.You have to know you local flood conditions and not rely on FEMA maps. Go WAY over board. A well built house can withstand 200 MPH winds w/ little damage. Poor construction can not handle 75 MPH. Of course there are some areas that get surge, but I contend you can construct to handle even that. If not MOVE.