CLEARWATER, Fla. — As parts of Florida feel the wrath of Hurricane Ian, Northeast Ohioans are ready to help, heading to the Sunshine State to provide support and resources where they can.
Earlier this week, 3News caught up with Ohio Task Force 1, one of 28 urban search and rescue teams through FEMA that can be deployed nationwide to help when disaster strikes. On Sunday and Monday, the task force told WKYC they were staging in Southeast Alabama, awaiting news of where they would be needed once the hurricane moved in.
By Wednesday morning, they were on the road, driving through Alabama and Georgia to reach Florida.
"We're equipped to make rescues as far as that goes," rescue specialist Richard Huggins, who typically works in New Franklin, said. "We're also equipped to help out with just evacuating people, if need be, or down to passing out water. Whatever it needs."
Huggins has been part of the Task Force 1 team for years and has responded to a number of previous situations, including Hurricanes Ida and Harvey.
"Just being able to help somebody like that, in their probably most difficult situation in life, it's rewarding," he added.
Now, as the storm picks up, he and the team are heading south, anticipating staying for at least weeks. Their final destination is yet to be determined as they wait to learn their assignment and where they'll be most needed.
Already in place is Mahogany Coward, from Canton. She's a volunteer with the American Red Cross and is serving as a shelter assistant at an evacuation center in Florida's Lake County, about an hour north of Orlando.
"We have you here to wait out the storm, we listen to your story, we supply the comfort, and the shelter is open to anyone," Coward said of those who come to the center, adding that animals and pets are allowed to stay as well.
Coward began volunteering with the Red Cross after the organization helped her in her time of need. In 2016, her own home flooded, but the Red Cross was there to help. After that, she went through volunteer training, working to give back to others.
"I'm just here for full support," she said. "I want to hear your story, and I want to provide you with the resources so I can make you comfortable.”
Coward said the phone at the shelter has been ringing as people inquire about whether they are able to come. As the rain and wind pick up, she anticipates more people will come stay.
In Clearwater, Barb Evans, of Independence, is hunkering down with her sister. Luckily, her sister lives in Evacuation Zone E, an area that is not as at risk as other areas (for example, Evacuation Zone A) and which Evans described as being on higher ground. She adds that the place where she and her sister are is not under mandatory evacuation.
Still, they're taking the steps necessary to ensure they'll be prepared, and are following the guidance of local leaders and officials.
"The gas stations around here, they've been kind of sporadic," Evans said. "I topped off my tank on our way home from the beach on Sunday, and the only reason I was able to do that was because I saw a gas station with a gas truck in its lot. And then the rest of the way home, most of the pumps were bagged."
Unfortunately, Evans has seen similar situations in local grocery stores.
"Yesterday, they had just gotten a shipment of water in," she said. "They had limits on it and people were lined up to get the water. The non-perishable stuff that you don't have to cook in case the power goes out, the shelves were empty for that."
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon.