Lake County residents stock up on supplies, gasoline ahead of Helene

Lake County residents make preparations for Helene

Residents in Lake County are busy preparing for Hurricane Helene, stocking up on essential supplies, and filling their gas tanks in anticipation of potential power outages and flooding.

MOUNT DORA, Fla. - Residents in Lake County are busy preparing for Hurricane Helene, stocking up on essential supplies, and filling their gas tanks in anticipation of potential power outages and flooding.

"We're filling up the gas for the storm because we never know what will happen," said Nelson, a resident.

Others, like Wendy Garcia, are focused on ensuring their families are taken care of. "Spending every last penny that we have ‘cause I got kids, and they still gotta eat," Garcia said.

Octavia Jones, another resident, shared her storm preparations. "We're gathering water, non-perishable items, and sandbags," she said.

Many are opting to fill gas cans and buy cases of water early to avoid last-minute shortages. "Just in case, you know, gas gets low," said Chris Jones.

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Meanwhile, Garcia is preparing meals to ride out the storm.

"We bought eggs and fruit, gonna make snacks — yes, pasta e fagioli for dinner," she added.

While some are gearing up for the storm, others, like longtime resident Eddie, are less concerned. "I've lived here long enough to not be so concerned by this," he said. Van Tilford echoed a similar sentiment, planning to "hunker down" at a relative’s sturdier home.

Lake County Emergency Management isn't taking any chances.

"We're monitoring the situation and making sure we have all our resources at our disposal," said Emergency Management Director Megan Milanese.

As Lake County remains under a tropical storm warning, officials are urging residents to complete their preparations before Hurricane Helene makes landfall on Thursday.

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