Orlando, Florida - It took Lynette Núñez two and a half hours waiting in her car to reach the Meadows area of Orlando on Monday, where she was picking up several sandbags.

“We don’t live in a flood zone, but we have a small lake behind our house, and we want to place sandbags around it, just in case. Everyone is a bit desperate for sand, but we need to stay calm, even though we’ve never experienced a hurricane like this in Orlando,” said Núñez, a native of Quebradillas who has lived in the city for 12 years.

She admitted that she was scared because the houses in the state don’t feel safe. “And if it comes, it comes,” added her companion, Edwin Pérez, also from Quebradillas.

Pérez knows what a major hurricane is like, as he was still living in his hometown when Hurricane María struck in 2017. “We were 21 days without water or electricity, and now that I live in Orlando, it reminds me a little of the trauma of María. The problem is that here the houses are made of cardboard, and it can be very dangerous. But we’re helping each other to be prepared,” he said.

Although the collection of sandbags has been continuous, with several collection centers set up across Central Florida, entire families are visiting the sites to support each other. “The wait has been tough,” said Irma Vélez, from Santurce, who was accompanied by her son and grandson.

“We are calm because we’ve been through other hurricanes here, having lived in Florida for 25 years. This includes going through Hurricane Andrew in Miami, but I really believe this hurricane is heading our way,” she said.

For their part, siblings María Teresa and Luis Fernández, from Caguas, were making their final preparations and shopping at a Walmart in downtown Orlando. They emphasized that basic necessities were still available in many places. “We found everything we needed, and a shipment of water just arrived,” they said.

This was confirmed by store employees, who mentioned that although it was the last truck they would receive before the hurricane hit, there were no limits on the number of water cases customers could purchase.

Luis, who also experienced Hurricane María on the island, expressed concern about the flat terrain in Florida compared to Puerto Rico. “The mountains in Puerto Rico offer more protection against hurricanes, but here it’s flat—there are no mountains, and the houses are built with wood, very weak. I hope nothing major happens, but it worries me. Also, in Puerto Rico, if you need something, the neighbors help you. We Puerto Ricans are always like that, but here, you don’t even know your neighbors, and everyone stays locked inside,” he said.

The Fernández siblings agreed that their future plans include returning to Puerto Rico..

“I moved because I had a son with a special condition, who is now in the hands of God, and it no longer makes sense for me to stay here. These coquíes can’t leave the island, so I hope to return,” said María Teresa, a sentiment echoed by Luis.

The imminent arrival of Hurricane Milton, which reached Category 5 before noon on Monday, prompted state officials to begin announcing the opening of shelters across the region. Osceola and Marion counties were the first to do so.

Although initially scheduled to open on Wednesday, officials announced today that shelters will open starting tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5:00 p.m.

Here are some of the shelters that will be available:

- Celebration High School: 1809 Celebration Blvd, Kissimmee, FL 34747.

- Gateway High School (Pet-Friendly): 93 Panther Paws Trail, Kissimmee, FL 34744

- Harmony High School (Pet-Friendly): 3601 Arthur J. Gallagher Blvd, St. Cloud, FL 34771

- Holopaw Community Center: 8801 Community Center Rd, St. Cloud, FL 34773

- Kenansville Community Center: 1178 S Canoe Creek Rd, Kenansville, FL 34739

- Kissimmee Middle School (Pet-Friendly): 2410 Dyer Blvd, Kissimmee, FL 34741

- Liberty High School (Pet-Friendly): 4250 Pleasant Hill Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34746

In Osceola, you can call the Citizen Information Center hotline at 407-742-0000.

Orlando Sand Collection Centers

- Barnett Park: 4801 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando

- Bithlo Community Park: 18501 Washington Avenue, Orlando,

- Clarcona Horse Park: 3535 Damon Road, Apopka

- Downey Park: 10107 Flowers Avenue, Orlando

- Meadow Woods Recreation Center: 1751 Rhode Island Woods Circle, Orlando

- West Orange Recreation Center: 309 S. West Crown Point Road, Winter Garden

Up to 10 free sandbags per family will be provided, but families must bring their own shovels and fill the sandbags themselves. These centers will operate with extended hours today, Monday, and tomorrow, Tuesday, until 7:00 p.m.

Where to go for help?

- Orange County, with hurricane information: www.ocfl.net

- Orlando Government: https://www.orlando.gov/Storm-Tracking-Milton

- City of Orlando, in Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/ciudaddeorlando

- Alianza Center, a community organization that helps Puerto Ricans and Hispanics in general: https://www.facebook.com/AlianzaCenter.

- Updated list of counties with mandatory eviction orders, currently Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte: FloridaDisaster.org.

- Orlando County Government, with information on sandbagging, school closures and city facilities: https://www.facebook.com/OrangeCountyFlorida

- To report flooding in Orlando: orlando.gov/flood, or call 407-246-2238.

- To report a downed tree, call the non-emergency line at 407-246-2283. For emergency problems requiring immediate attention, call 9-1-1.

- Pinellas County, with information on evacuation zones and safety precautions: https://pinellas.gov

- Statewide information for Florida: https://www.facebook.com/GovRonDeSantis.

In addition, residents of each county should seek information directly from their city government.

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This content was translated from Spanish to English using artificial intelligence and was reviewed by an editor before being published.