In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, powerful news stories now detail dramatic rescues of people trapped by the storm’s roiling flood surge. Many pieces focus on the enterprising citizens who set out in their own boats to help their neighbors. (Though it also might have been cool to see what a Black Hawk helicopter was up to – and who sent it out.)

So this insightful op-ed piece answers a key question: Why Do People Stay When a Hurricane Comes?

The set-up is smart, noting that even well-informed responders refer to such people with derogatory terms like “lazy” or “stubborn.” But then the writer, Nicole Stephens, immediately lays out the economic barriers that prevent so many from fleeing. And she offers some smart solutions to this serious problem -- which could indeed help save lives.