SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Residents in Seminole County are taking no chances with Tropical Storm Milton.
“Water you cannot stop. When it was coming through our doors and our walls of our house. There’s was nothing you can do. It was above our windows. It was seeping off the windowsills coming in. You can’t stop it,” said Winter Springs Resident Mike Demare.
Demare and several others are taking full advantage of the several sandbag locations set up in both counties this weekend.
Demare said he’s getting bags to help his neighbor.
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”I’m getting sandbags for her. We flooded two years ago, both of us, and so she had operation. She can’t lift more than 9 pounds. So I said saying let’s get this sand. I’ll help her out. She got two little kids so I said let me go get sand right now. I’ll help her out,” Demare said.
Isaac Flores is doing his part to help his family. His mom, Sylvia Flores, said they nearly lost everything after Hurricane Ian flooded their townhome two years ago.
”We were not prepared. We did not take it seriously because we were renters,” Isaac Flores said.
The family said they have learned from their mistakes and they’re hoping others heed the warnings and prepare sandbags as well as other items.
”We lost power for a week and half. So we were one of the people as soon as we learned there was a generator at Lowe’s or Home Depot we ran. My mother-in-law ran and got on top of the last one,” Isaac Flores said.
The family also said it’s important to stock up on water, have cash on hand and make a plan in case your home is damaged.
Tropical Storm Milton is forecast to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane bringing the risk of life-threatening impacts to portions of Florida’s Gulf coast next week, according to the NHC.
To see where all of the sandbag locations in Central Florida, click here.
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