• Neighbors and officials in Taylor County are juggling both Helene’s recovery and preparing for potential fallout from Milton.
• Officials say they expect an influx of southern evacuation orders.
• Milton could also interrupt Helene’s recovery efforts for a day or two.
• Watch the video to see how officials and neighbors are weathering it all.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene tore through the Big Bend, officials and neighbors are left keeping an eye on yet another system heading toward Florida. I’m Kenya Cardonne in the Perry District, looking at how Milton is impacting both preparation and recovery for neighbors in Taylor County.

The Taylor County Emergency Management Department is still hard at work, more than a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall.

Now they have something else to add to their plate: Milton.

Amber Durden, Emergency Management Coordinator for Taylor County – “Even though it doesn’t appear like this will impact our immediate county, I mean we still need to remain vigilant.”

Coordinator Amber Durden tells me their biggest concern is staying ahead of the influx of southern evacuation orders.

Durden – “We are trying to find additional fuel locations to reduce the problem of our retailers running out of gas. We are currently conducting missions to get additional law enforcement officers to assist with traffic control.”

She says the storm could interrupt Helene’s recovery efforts for a day or two, but that should not detract from the progress they have made.

I visited the distribution point at The Bird Rack to gauge neighbors’ opinions of Milton.

Amy Dykes, owner of The Bird Rack – “I don’t like him….”

Amy Dykes and her husband have turned their company into a safe haven for disaster relief for the third time.

Dykes – “Very traumatic time and we wanted the community to have a little bit of relief and escape from their daily lives.”

She says that most of the neighbors are so preoccupied with Helene’s destruction that they don’t even have time to think about Milton.

Regardless, she says she’s confident her community of survivors in Taylor County will survive.

Dykes – “..and our friends from the South, wherever this hits, we told them we’re here for you. We load our trailers and take them what they need. We are neighbors!”

Back at the office, officials say the best neighbors here can do for now is stock up on essentials and focus on staying informed.

Durden – “Just stay in place, stay calm. I understand, you know, we just went through a Category 4 and emotions may be high, but you know, we’ve just got to wait and see what it’s going to look like for us.

Officials tell me that volunteers play a critical role in this cycle of continued recovery and preparation. If you would like to volunteer at the Emergency Management Office, please call this number: 850-838-3575

In Perry, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27