Hurricane Florence has not even made land, yet already, it is having an impact in Northeast Ohio.
On Wednesday, the Red Cross deployed 16 disaster workers to join more than 1500 who are now in North and South Carolina.
There could soon be more on the way.
Ohio Task Force One has also hit the road in response. The team of 16 will help with search and rescue in areas hit hardest and can operate up to 24 hours at a time.
Duke Energy sent several crews to help with power, while an Air National Guard Base in Columbus looks like a plane parking lot.
Several military jets were moved from Virginia to avoid the potential for hurricane-force winds.
People living along the coast of the Carolinas say something does not feel entirely right.
Originally from Ohio, Heather and Rob Williams now run a scuba shop in Wilmington. They have ridden out storms in the past but left last night.
“Storms really don’t shy us away but this one feels different,” Heather Williams said. “We packed up the necessary documents, the things that we really needed, in case we weren’t able to return.”
Colleen Chisholm lives on Seabrook Island near Charleston, and spent the day driving to Atlanta to be with family.
Originally from Moreland Hills, she said her tipping point came around 10 a.m.
“The most recent track showed the cone actually touching Charleston,” she said. “I mean, it’s just a house. We got the people out.”
She said she hopes to return on Sunday.
WATCH | Channel 3's Jasmine Monroe is on the ground in Columbia, South Carolina and filed this report
