Really Staten Island?????

[HooptieWagon]

290. Thats not how shelters work.

Most people who evacuate go to family, friends, or a hotel, that are in a safe location. The shelters are intended for those people who haven't the means or trasportation to go elsewhere, or have a medical condition that requires backup power. Shelters aren't intended to be the Ritz, just a safe place to ride out the storm.
Secondly, not everyone need to evacuate. Only those in the evacuation zone. In this case, it was about 10% of the island, by area. Further, the evacuation areas are those near the water, where the storm surge is going to be. Generally, people living on or near the water are fairly well off.
At Staten Island, the shelters were several schools, about 5 or 6. Usually, people gather in an auditorium. As a guess, I'd say each shelter would hold several hundred, depending on space and supplies. So, there was shelter space available for at least 1000 people, very likely more. Only 70 showed up, total.
So, given that people living on the waterfront probably have the means to evacuate, and there was plenty of shelter space for those without, there was simply no excuse not to evacuate. It was pure stubborness and selfishness. Not evacuating before the storm, and calling responders to come rescue you during the storm puts their lives at risk. Thats what many did.