AccuWeather's Ali Reid was at a sandbagging station in Tallahassee, Florida, where people are stocking up on sandbags in preparation for Helene. Up to 40 million people could be impacted by the storm.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00We find Ali now in Tallahassee. It's been quite a journey here
00:04for you and now you bring us the latest of folks preparing right behind you.
00:11Right Ari and I think the overall feeling of the morning is many people are nervous heading into
00:16this storm hearing lots of conversations about Hurricane Michael back in 2018 and the impacts
00:21that brought to family and friends not too far away from here. Also mentioning the tornado that
00:27hit right in this area back in May of this year. We're at one of those sandbagging locations this
00:32morning. This particular location and many locations around the city of Tallahassee
00:37opened up at eight o'clock this morning and it has been a steady flow of people in this community
00:42throughout the area. I want to take to some video for you now if possible. This was shot by our
00:46photographer Andy who was moving about the area really giving you a closer perspective of what
00:51this area was looking like over the last couple of hours. I mean when we tell you that this has
00:55been non-stop it has been non-stop. Family members, friends really looking out for a number of people
01:01in the community here not only caring for their own homes but then other homes and other facilities
01:08in this area. Many businesses too also stopping by catering to a number of the properties in this
01:13area. Now on top of that they also are just mentioning what this area has looked like in
01:18the past when they've dealt with a number of storms. I mentioned that tornado back in May.
01:22A lot of the people here worried about single family homes, mobile homes, what the destruction
01:27that Hurricane Helene could potentially bring to this area here. Many people very very nervous
01:34to say the least in this particular area. We spoke to a man earlier who actually works with
01:40a number of people in this area to actually help provide shelter for a number of men dealing with
01:45rehabilitation. He says that the particular area is a low-lying facility and he's very nervous that
01:52there could potentially be bring some serious impacts to that area. Take a listen.
01:58It'll be devastating. I mean we had a tornado come through here May 10th I believe it was
02:03and it was about 100 mile an hour winds and everywhere that it went it just demolished. One
02:09of the big things in Tallahassee is all our old live oak trees and stuff like that and that's kind
02:13of part of the beauty of Tallahassee but at the same time that's what's going to cause you know
02:18the power to go out for even longer you know it's got everyone on edge. We've never I think
02:21this is going to be probably the worst storm we've ever seen here or at least in my lifetime.
02:29Again if we can let's bring you back live to show you guys what's happening in real time
02:34and if you can move with me for a second you'll notice that cars trucks have been pulling up
02:37people just really just bringing those sandbags putting them into their trucks to bring back to
02:42their homes their businesses. How you hanging in this morning? All right. You okay? Yes ma'am.
02:46You're sweating. Those sandbags are heavy. They're heavy. They're heavy. Where are these
02:51sandbags going to your home? Yeah they're going to my home and to my cousin's house. Yeah. Yeah
02:55we're getting prepared for the storm. How are you guys feeling? Are you nervous? Are you feeling like
02:59you're preparing enough in advance where you think you'll be okay? Where's your head at?
03:03Um I think we're pretty prepared. We've been prepared storm ready for like what three years
03:07now so we just had to go by some odds and ends and I just hope everybody you know make it through
03:13and be safe and you know come get the sandbags if y'all need them. Yeah absolutely and many places
03:19across the city of Tallahassee are doing this this morning. Seeing a number of members of
03:23your community also here this morning having conversations with them what's that been like?
03:28Well everybody seems like they're um they're pretty prepared for it and they're getting
03:33everything together us a couple people that's where we got a lot of family members from out
03:36of town reaching out to us to make sure we're going to be okay letting us know if we need to
03:41leave we need to leave and if I suggest if anybody stay in a mobile home or something like that they
03:46need to leave they go ahead and evacuate. What's your name? Brandon Johnson. Brandon so nice to
03:51meet you stay safe. Yes ma'am y'all stay safe also. All right guys so I want to point out a few other
03:55things to you he mentioned the mobile homes which I think is important to mention the other thing
03:59let's show the trees that's an important factor actually all morning long we've been speaking to
04:04people who have been talking about they're worried about the oak trees in this area number one they
04:08are incredibly old number two they are incredibly tall and so that is a big concern with the heavy
04:14rain and wind that could be moving throughout this area but again we're going to continue to
04:18check in with you guys throughout the afternoon talking to people getting their perspectives on
04:22what it's like here really giving you that insider's look again sandbagging not only here
04:27but just right down the street here in the parking lot another sandbagging location so many people
04:33taking this seriously this is no joke to people that are very familiar with what
04:38hurricanes and particular helene could bring to this area