Central Florida prepares for Tropical Depression 9

Jeff Levkulich,Brittany Caldwell
·2 min read
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Local counties are already planning for the worst.

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Seminole County leaders said they started preparations on Wednesday for a possible hurricane that could impact Central Florida next week.

In the St. John’s River in Sanford, residents are concerned about this area and are monitoring it.

Read: Hurricane supply checklist: What should you include in your kit?

Along the Little Wekiva River in Altamonte Springs, those areas are prone to flooding because of all the rain that has occurred recently, and that means the ground is saturated.

If a hurricane comes our way, it could be trouble for residents.

Read: Eye on the tropics: Here’s where you can get sandbags in Central Florida

As of Friday morning, sandbag operations were up and running at the Boombah Sports Complex in Sanford.

Ron Evatt moved to Sanford two years ago from West Palm Beach.

He has worked for Florida Power and Light for 30 years and has been through every storm since Hurricane Andrew.

“There is no time like now to prepare,” he said. “Because I’ve seen in my experience over 30 years what storms can do. Wilma hit us hard in West Palm, and it was a scary thing.”

Evatt said new Florida residents should hit the grocery stores now and fill up their gas and propane tanks.

“Get your supplies early, because if that thing is predicted in the cone, you’re going to see a lot of things empty out of the grocery stores,” he said.

Seminole County has also been loading up equipment and getting staff and resources in position just in case.

“But more importantly, because of all the rain, making sure the culverts are clear and making sure that there’s good drainage location,” Evatt said. “Our public works team and Environmental Services team is working around the clock to make sure that happens.”

Read: New to Florida? 9 helpful tips to get you through a hurricane

Most residents who have lived in Central Florida know what to get to prepare for a hurricane, but many people who have moved here from out of state have never experienced one.

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