BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Preparations for Hurricane Dorian are in full swing in Southwest Florida. At Fire Station 24 in Bonita Springs, the fire department is helping residents get ready by offering free sandbags.
The fire station received a shipment of sand today and its first come first served. Each household can take up to 25 bags.
"Well actually I live down the street and my neighbor Lucy told me that they were offering free sandbags of sand at the fire department. I decided to come down here to get a few bags just in case we get too much rain," said Steven Veneziano, a resident.
People are hoping for the best. "I just got here in October, this is my first. Reporter: 'How are you feeling?' I'm okay, I've got good neighbors, said Lucy Ragone of Bonita Springs.
They are also preparing for the worst. "I've experienced them up in Maryland and North Carolina, but this is the first time that I am dealing with something close to this severity," said Tim Chase of Bonita Springs.
"Actually this sand was leftover from Irma," said Greg DeWitt, Assistant Fire Chief of Bonita Springs Fire Department. The sand is already paid for by the fire department and free to anyone who comes.
"We encourage our residents to come first, but obviously if another jurisdiction or somebody from another place wants to come in here, we're not gonna turn them away, said DeWitt. The Fire department is getting another shipment of sand Friday morning. You can come back to start bagging sand at 8 a.m.
