ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — As people across Florida prepared for Milton Monday, grocery stores, gas stations and sandbagging stations were busy on the First Coast.
At Buc-ee’s in St. Johns County, families could be seen filling up gas cans. Across the street at Costco, a number of people came out with generators.
“They’re sold out all over the place,” Topher O’Leary, who checked out of Costco with his child on his shoulders and a generator in his cart, said.
O’Leary said he got lucky finding a generator Monday. O’Leary said he’s buying a generator now because you “never know.”
”I have some family in the area, some in the northwest side, and they were out for about a week,” he said. “They just got it back the other day.”
That Costco was sold out of water and toilet paper by 7:00 p.m. when First Coast News went inside to check it out.
“I think I got the last three,” said Bernadette Rivell about cases of water.
Across the street at Buc-ee’s, Tira Clyce’s family was filling up gas containers for her sister in Tampa.
“Helene took out two of their cars as well as just other appliances and things like that,” Clyce said. “They had like three feet of water.”
Clyce’s family filled up almost 10 containers of gas.
“I don’t think we’re gonna need near any of this, not here, but they’re gonna need it over there,” Clyce said. “So if we can get over there then I can at least provide fuel for generators for people that aren’t gonna be able to find gas.”
Clyce admitted she’s more worried about this storm.
“I think this is gonna be one of the worst ones we've seen in a real long time,” she said.
In Fruit Cove, a sandbagging station was busy Monday.
“I feel like we just need to hold on to these, there’s been so many storms,” said Kendall Seefried while holding a bag as sand was shoveled in.
Seefried said she’s ready for this hurricane season to be over.
“It’s hard missing school,” said Seefried. “It’s hard missing work and it’s, all around we’re seeing people up north get rocked by it, it’s hard to watch. I think we’re just all kind of worrying about it continuing. Right now it’s just fingers crossed we’re done soon.”
Seefried said she’s lived in her home for almost 10 years and never had flooding like they did a couple weeks ago. Now she’s worried because the ground is saturated.
Many people told First Coast News Monday they want to be prepared.