Despite the order to evacuate flood prone areas, many living in public housing in low-lying Far Rockaway decided to ride out the storm — even as a police van blaring the warning "a dangerous hurricane is approaching - you are ordered to leave" circled the neighborhood on Saturday.

Cedric Robinson, who taped up his windows and stockpiled food, said he and his wife are staying in Far Rockaway because they didn't want to leave their pets behind. They sent their children to stay with relatives.  

"I feel it's not going to be that bad. I'm safe with God," Robinson said staring at out at the water near Ocean Village Houses Saturday as the evacuation deadline loomed. "I'm going to stay. My wife says she's going to stay with me. The kids are going with relatives."  

Kim Merrill, fresh from a dip in the water on Saturday, said she plans to ride out the storm in her oceanfront home that backs up to Jamaica Bay.

"I just want to be in my home in my own comfort," she said. "Let me just enjoy it." 

Tony Pratt, 26, and his five children between one- and six-years old plan to stay with his wheelchair-bound mother in the Beach 41st Street Houses.

"[I'm staying] because she's disabled and her elevator is not really working and she needs her wheelchair to move. And she says she's not moving. So I am sticking it out with her," he said.

Pratt added: "I'm from Florida; I'm used to hurricanes. This is nothing really. ... I got four cats and I don't have papers for them to take them into the shelter. They're part of the family and I'm not going to leave them behind." 

Deborah Smith, who lives alone in the same public housing complex, is also staying through the storm.

"It's a brick building, and I prepared myself with candles, water and the necessities, so I'm ok," she said.

La Toya Hicks, who was carrying clothes and food in plastic grocery bags, changed her mind and decided to leave the Beach 41st Street houses on Saturday with her boyfriend and 6-year-old son.

"Well a fire man came up to the door and said in his 23 years he had never seen it like this and being that I have a child I have to go," she said. "He didn't force us it's just like, you have a child and being that they're going to cut off the electricity it's not going to be a good go because my son has asthma."

About 20 residents of the housing development were getting onto yellow school buses and city buses headed to an area evacuation center.