HARLEM HEIGHTS, Fla. — Lee County leaders want everyone to be ready for Hurricane Milton. In Harlem Heights, people are boarding up their windows and making evacuation plans.
Annie Brandell had a lot of things on her to do list Monday afternoon.
"The windows that we got for after Ian, they're supposed to be hurricane proof, but we don't know how true that is," Brandell said.
Watch Lee County Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below:
She and her family plan to evacuate soon for the storm like they did two years ago.
"It's devastating. Honestly, cause nobody's really prepared for this...it just kind of sort of like what happened," Brandell said.
Ian left their home in bad shape, especially with black mold. She added that only recently did they finish the repairs.
"I love the area, but with these storms, not really, but we don't want to move out because we love this neighborhood. We love the people. Love the community," Brandell said.
Her family loves their neighbors across the street: Bianca Reyes and her five-year-old son Jamiyah.
They spent Sunday boarding up their windows. After their home flooded in Ian, they said they knew to prep early.
"Be more aware. I would say like take more precautions and everything," Reyes said.
As of now, they plan to stay at home during the storm, but that could change.
"Well, we're gonna see how everything goes, like, we already have a plan if anything," Reyes said.
Lee County leaders had a news conference Monday. They urged the community to start their plan as soon as possible.
Find more information on the press conference from earlier here.
"We have plenty of time between now and tomorrow evening for you to make a plan and get out of those flood zones," Lee County Commissoner Brian Hamman said.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno said all their resources are deployed, but if the wind speed is more than 145 miles per hour, emergency responders won't be able to help you.
"You don't want to wait. This storm is deadly. Mother Nature is unpredictable. We've seen it," Sheriff Marceno said.
The county said they're constantly reevaluating if other zones will need to evacuate.
Find preparation and evacuation information from Lee County here.
