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Central Floridians shoring up for potential impact of major hurricane

More locations open for sandbag filling, pickup

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – People across Central Florida are preparing for any possibility of a storm that could hit Florida in the coming days.

We saw a steady line of cars at Festival Park in Deltona Saturday morning. That’s where we met Jose Montalvo, who like many people across Central Florida was getting sandbags for his home.

“Getting ready to prepare for whatever’s coming. Better safe than sorry,” Montalvo said.

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The current five-day forecast cone has Tropical Storm Ian impacting Florida as a major hurricane next week, but the track is expected to continue to change over the next several days.

Deltona’s vice mayor Maritza Avila-Vazquez said now is the time for residents to be ready, just in case.

“We have areas that do flood, and some get a little water in their garage so we’re trying to be proactive,” she said.

Meantime, in Sanford, News 6 spoke with Russell Taylor, filing up sandbags at one of several distribution sites across Seminole county.

“We live downhill kind of, so we get flooded out quick,” Taylor said. “(It’s) so the water don’t get in this time like it did last time. I got flooded out last time.”

He said that was a lesson learned as he waits, watches and prepares.

[RELATED: Here are the Central Florida counties offering sandbag locations]

Seminole county emergency leaders are opening more sandbag locations Sunday and Monday morning and said they have eight shelters on standby.

They’re also opening what officials are calling a hurricane hotline beginning Monday for residents to call with any hurricane-related questions or information about government closures.

That number is 407-665-0000.

See our previous coverage of this topic in the video player below:


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