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Floridians stocking up ahead of Hurricane Milton
FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Families across the Tampa Bay area made final preparations on Tuesday, as Hurricane Milton continued making its approach. For many, that meant figuring out what may be needed to survive for several days after the storm.
Hardware and grocery stores were packed throughout the day, with people buying wooden boards for their homes, along with last-minute food and water.
"The biggest thing is her," said Garret Revels of Brandon, referring to his young daughter. "I'm just trying to find snacks, crackers, bread, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches go a long way."
Hurricane Milton: County-by-county guide
"All you can do is the best you can do and hope for the best," said Phill Asher, who was helping a neighbor buy wood at Home Depot in Brandon to board his home.
FEMA recommended having two weeks’ worth of food on hand in case of an emergency following a major disaster. That could include canned goods, dry mixes, along with other items that may already be in a family's food pantry.
Hillsborough County emergency managers are making similar recommendations.
READ: Hurricane Milton: Understanding storm surge projections for Tampa Bay area
"Anything that would help you, from flashlights, candles, if you have a generator, that's great. Make sure you have enough fuel to run it," said Danny Alvarez, a spokesperson for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. "These types of things that, if you've been here a long time, you should know what it is that you need."
Alvarez said he's hopeful families made their preparations early, with Milton coming on the heels of Hurricane Helene.
"The traffic makes me feel hopeful that people are taking this seriously, because this is going to be, as people are saying, a storm for the ages for our area," he said.
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