(Santee) Sept. 4, 2004 - Hundreds of Florida residents evacuated to South Carolina Thursday night and most of them don't know when they're headed back. The Florida families are staying in hotel rooms across South Carolina, watching the television coverage of the hurricane headed directly for their homes.  WIS Storm Team Hurricane Center>> | National Hurricane Center
 
The governor estimated 2.5 million people are under evacuation orders in 15 Florida counties based on the state's projections of people living in evacuated areas. Individual counties reported at least 1.3 million people ordered evacuated.
 
Florida homeowner John Mayo says it's the uncertainty that bothers him the most, "The hardest part is not knowing what you're facing in the future, whether you're going to have a house, a job."

Sherry Conway, a Florida teacher, couldn't help but think about her students, "I worry about my kids. They were really upset Wednesday, my last day of school. Some of them were terrified. So I worry about them because I don't know if we'll have a school."
 
Saturday was John and Sherry's 11th Anniversary, but Sherry says there won't be any presents for a while, "We're afraid to spend any money because we don't know if we can get any when we get back."
The couple says that the only gift they want is to return to Florida to find their home the way they left it.
 
John says most of the guests in the Santee hotel he's staying in are from Florida, "This is the closest place where we could find reservations for a room."

Hotel manager Linda Griffin says Clark's Inn in Santee is booking up fast, "We were moving everything out of the way just in case the storm came through, but now after we've noticed it going the opposite way, we're trying to get everything back in place so they can be comfortable while they're staying with us."
 
The Red Cross knows that some of those people coming up from Florida may not be so lucky finding a place to stay. That's why they've opened a Hurricane Frances shelter at Orangeburg Wilkinson High School.

Volunteer David Bozard says there are beds for 40, "That's why I'm here. I feel so sorry they're going through this. And that's why we volunteer to help."

Emergency officials in Florence are also opening shelters. The Red Cross is opening a shelters at Old Ebeneezer Church on Ebeneezer Road opened, St. Andrews Baptist Church and Manning High School.
 
Fuel shortages have been reported in some areas near the South Carolina/Georgia border. The Highway Patrol advises motorists to maintain an adequate amount of fuel in their tanks to allow them a cushion until they can reach a station with adequate fuel supplies.
 
The South Carolina Department of Transportation has activated its toll-free number, 1-888-877-9151, which will give people traffic information. For shelter information call SCDOT at 803-939-1522. The American Red Cross also is operating a number for the public to call for shelter information: 803-939-1522.
 
Reported by Heather Brown

Updated 6:25pm by Chantelle Janelle