FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Hurricane Helene was still a good distance away from the Florida coast Wednesday, but its size became a concern for residents in the South Florida area.
Cities in both Broward and Miami-Dade were scheduling sandbag distributions.
Fort Lauderdale residents are not taking any chances and are preparing as best they can as Hurricane Helene moves north. At Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale, residents spent the morning filling sandbags to protect their homes from potential flooding.
Fort Lauderdale has several low-lying areas prone to flooding, and as Hurricane Helene intensifies, it is expected to bring wind and rain.
In the past, rain, coupled with king tides and storm surge, has proven to be a recipe for disaster, with residents in areas like Edgewood losing everything to flooding.
Local 10 News spoke with one woman Wednesday who lives in the Sistrunk area and said she lost two vehicles the last time her area flooded. She said she was doing what she could to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
Marcia Huff Thompson said she’s “absolutely worried.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Broward school district said, “We are closely monitoring the storm in collaboration with local emergency management teams. At this time, there is no impact on District operations. We will continue to keep you informed and provide updates as necessary. Stay Safe Broward.”
To get sandbags in Fort Lauderdale, residents will need to show identification to prove residence. At Mills Pond Park, residents will need to bring their own bags.
In Miami Beach, residents also had the opportunity to get sandbags at 2100 Collins Ave.
The city is also opening select parking garages to residents.
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