Sarasota area prepares for the impact of Hurricane Idalia

As Hurricane Idalia approaches, many Sarasota residents say they are not sure what to expect from the storm, but many still said the best course of action is to be prepared. 

“Better safe than sorry,” said Kendall Hall as she filled bags of sand with her fiancee Kendall Baron at Ed Smith Stadium. 

Residents were glad to see that the community was assisting in the preparedness effort through the offering of sandbags at multiple locations. Justin DeWitt praised the quality of the bags that were on offer at Ed Smith Stadium on Monday night, as well as the cones available for funneling the sand.

“It was really nice to receive this from the community,” he said. “We appreciate it.”

Prior to the storm, boat owners across Sarasota were securing their vessels in preparation for possible storm surge. A high tide resulting from the “supermoon” phenomenon presented additional concern for boat owners. 

“It’s a very high tide, and I’m expecting it to go up a little more,” said Captain Bobby Chiodini, who was at work securing the Carefree Learner,  a vessel used for student educational tours. 

After Sarasota felt the impacts of Hurricane Ian last year, some residents were not thrilled to be dealing with a stormy situation again. 

However, Sarasota isn't the only area where natural disasters are a concern. Having just moved from California, Katie Morales only recently experienced Hurricane Hilary, while she had earthquake and tornado experiences in her former home as well. 

“It’s just a tsunami, a mudslide, and a few other things that I need to have under my belt,” she said.