LAKE CITY, Fla. — Power is slowly being restored in Columbia County after Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage across the area. At one point after the storm, 99% of the county did not have power.
Emergency management officials said the clean-up process is ongoing, but taking some time. As people wait for their power to come back on, temperatures outside are rising. Olivia and Alexandar live in Lake City and have been without power since Thursday night.
"We’re hangin’ in there the best we can. We’re just kind of taking it one day at a time," Olivia said.
They stopped by the Richardson Community Center in Lake City to get a couple of cases of water, bags of ice, and ready-to-eat meals. They said it has been a struggle trying to keep their toddler cool in the heat.
“Just the loss of power has been difficult especially with our 2-year-old trying to keep her cool and make sure she is not getting overheated. Of course she still wants to run around and play like everything is normal, but it’s hard to maintain that," Alexandar said.
Down the street, Vincent Sainni was waiting to take his clothes out of the dryer. He took advantage of the free laundry services offered by Columbia County.
"The washers and dryers are brand new, high quality, and very clean. I’m very impressed with the resources they have available," Sainni explained.
These portable laundry facilities and shower are set up at several locations around the county, including the Deep Creek Community Center, Fort White Library, Mason City Community Center, and the Southside Sports Complex.
Sainni still does not have running water at his home. He said these resources made his situation a little easier.
"I'm thankful for the little things I took for granted, like electricity and running water," Sainni said.
With crews working around the clock to restore power, Olivia and Alexandar are hoping to have their power back on by Tuesday night. In the meantime, they are trying to remain positive and keep things as normal as possible for their daughter.
"The minute we get grumpy and unhappy that just makes it that much worse for her. So as long as we can stay happy, hopefully she can take some of that," Alexandar said.