Why? You were in a safe place, with every assurance available from modern technology and a vast organization interested in your welfare. Did you have property at risk? Family? If not, it was just a hurricane party for you. Why the anxiety?
I was sweating for a number of reasons. First, I went through a traumatic storm in Oregon when I was 7. A storm with gusts to 65mph ripped across the state in 1961, knocking the tops of towering fir trees off, through the roof of the house I was in. I still get chills during high wind gusts.
Key West is very low. The building I was in was only about 25 feet above sea level, and was poorly prepared for bad weather. The Truman Annex had only been recently re-opened, and the roof had not been inspected in years.
The Navy had not yet brought emergency food and water to our side of the island. The emergency generator was on the ground floor. Outside. There was only one telephone line, one electric transmission line and one fresh water line onto the island, although a desalinization plant opened while I was there.
I worked for the Commander, U.S. Forces Caribbean. The communications organization was large enough to deploy to support the Admiral when he traveled on business as well as Caribbean forces during exercises, plus enough people left at home to keep HQ supported.
That were enough enlisted people for us to be used for various work parties, so I knew first hand how bad the facilities were. It went so far as to be ordered to throw unwanted furniture from the ‘70’s off 2nd and 3rd floor balconies because there was no other way to remove it. The Navy only wanted to pay to move new furniture up the stairs as buildings were being renovated.