'Lieutenant Dan' refusing to leave Tampa boat as Milton approaches: 'Just like Noah and his ark, I'll be fine'

A one-legged Florida man nicknamed Lieutenant Dan compared himself to Noah with his ark as he revealed he would not be heeding Tampa Bay's evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Milton.

The monster storm is due to hit Florida today and residents in its path have been warned to 'flee or die.'

And yet Joseph Malinowski, known affectionately among locals as Joe Sea or Lieutenant Dan, has no fears about staying put.

Speaking from his 20ft boat in Tampa Harbor as strong winds circled overhead, Joe said: 'The safest place to be is on a boat in a flood. We learned that with Noah.

'Everyone that stayed on land drowned. Noah and the animals lived.'

Earlier, he said: 'I'm not worried. My life, this is nothing compared to what I've been through. This doesn't scare me.

'This is not even a minor inconvenience because all that's going to happen is everyone is going to get wet but I'm going to be fine because I'm in a boat that floats.'

Joe lost his leg in a car accident when he was 16 years old. He said he'd just taken his eyes off the road 'for a second' when he ran into another car going about 45mph.

'I was expecting to be home in time for dinner. I got to the hospital, within minutes my entire family started showing up at the hospital.'

His leg was amputated below the knee, which earned him the nickname he still has to this day. In Forrest Gump, Lieutenant Dan lost both of his legs below the knee during the Vietnam War.

Joe said he expects the wind to pick up, but has faith in the strength of his anchor.

'My anchor is tied to the dock, I'm not going to go anywhere. It's all going to be good. I'm going to be fine.'

Joe, in video now circulating widely online, explains that 'God' told him to 'come out here and get a boat'. 'He's got my back. I'm in good shape. I'm not sweating it.'

Joe said he will not be wearing a lifejacket and can swim 'in circles' if needed as he tries to 'stick it out' in the bay.

'The water's going to come in, it's going to rise. If you're on land, it's going to flood. You're risking drowning. I'm in a boat, so the boat goes up with the water... it's really the safest place to be, on my boat.'

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(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5609093&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310919#48180521)