ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – One Ormond Beach family is living in an RV after Hurricane Ian destroyed the inside of their home.
The past few weeks, they have been making repairs and buying new appliances.
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The family is now nervous that all their hard work and the money they spent will be for nothing.
Lisa Chiarizzi and her husband said they bought their dream home about eight years ago, but they never imagined their home would be pummeled by harsh storms multiple times.
Losing many of their belongings to water damage after Ian, Lisa and her husband are hoping Subtropical Storm Nicole skips over their neighborhood.
“I was very depressed for about three weeks and started really getting hopeful the last couple of weeks,” she said.
Chiarizzi said new appliances were set to be delivered to her home, but she canceled the deliveries in fear that her home will flood once again.
She and her husband lost some sentimental items, furniture and even a motorcycle due to flood damage. They were not able to salvage much.
Now, they are trying to figure out what their next plan of action is.
“Do we continue fixing… do I mop floors and paint walls? Do I stop? [I] really don’t know what to do,” Chiarizzi said.
Leaders in Central Florida have urged residents to prepare now.
An evacuation of Flagler’s barrier island could happen as early as Wednesday.
Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord said there will potentially be 15-foot waves off the coast.
He said residents who live on the coast need get their hurricane kits ready and be prepared for potential evacuations.
The last storm weakened the sand dune system, which could mean more flooding near the coast.
In Brevard County, Port Canaveral officials have ordered all ships to evacuate.
Brevard leaders also fear the storm will cause more beach erosion.
County officials said the beaches in south Brevard already need $8.5 million worth of restoration.
Back in Volusia County, Chiarizzi and her husband are just trying to keep it together.
“It’s not the way I want to live,” Chiarizzi said.
The family said for six years they have been trying to get their home raised to prevent flooding, but they have been denied funding twice.
They were told there is not enough evidence that the area floods.
“…And yet here we stand homeless, living in an RV, facing yet another storm,” Chiarizzi said.