STEINHATCHEE, Fla. — WPTV reporter Joel Lopez is in the Big Bend region of Florida where conditions are expected to deteriorate in the next couple of days as Hurricane Helene moves toward the Sunshine State.
Taylor County officials are busy preparing for a major Category 4 hurricane
Lopez is in Steinhatchee where residents and businesses like Vargo's Pizzeria were busy boarding up and putting sandbags in place.
Vargo’s Pizzeria in Steinhatchee has its boards and sandbags ready for Hurricane Helene@WPTV pic.twitter.com/NLJ8c9px9C
— Joel Lopez (@JoelLopezTweets) September 25, 2024
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
Robert Vargo, the owner of Vargo's Pizzeria said he opened shop within the last month.
"We just fixed our last piece of equipment and now we're just hoping it lasts through this one," said Vargo. "We moved from New York to come here to have a little bit more peace a little more tranquility an easier place to run but the storms, this is the second one already."
He stayed open Wednesday for all the people in town that were preparing for the storm and didn't have time to cook, but boarded up his business at the end of the night.
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"For everybody that's staying they'll be in my thoughts and prayers," said Vargo.
He said the business that was at the location before his pizzeria had to close due to damages caused by Hurricane Idalia.
"You don't know what you're going to come back to but we prepared the best we can and you just have to hope for the best," said Vargo. "We just hope it makes it through this one.
If Helene makes landfall in the Big Bend, it'll be the third hurricane to impact this area in just over one year.
WPTV was in Steinhatchee when Category 1 Hurricane Debby ripped off roofs, flooded streets and downed powerlines last month in August.
We were also here to cover the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, which was a Category 3 when it made landfall just over a year ago.
A group of about two dozen people joined hands Wednesday in prayer, hoping their homes will be spared.
"Our entire community probably is just back up and running with our businesses and our homes being repaired," resident Todd Mitchell said. "Idalia was 13 months ago. We had Debby last month, and here we are again. We got the third hurricane within 13 months that's supposed to take the same exact path, and it's just emotionally draining."
Mitchell is among the residents in Steinhatchee preparing for Hurricane Helene, praying for all the homes along the Big Bend as the National Hurricane Center is projecting a storm surge of over 12 feet.
"What does that mean for your town?" asked Lopez.
"Devastation, if it hits where they say it's going to hit," said Mitchell. "There was 6 feet of water in my parents' house on the river."
On Wednesday, Taylor County issued a mandatory evacuation order for all of its 22,000 residents.
Taylor County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management posted on Facebook, "Hurricane Helene is predicted to be a catastrophic and life-threatening storm system. This system will be unlike anything we have experienced to date."
Some residents like Norman Cadiou told WPTV he plans not to evacuate.
"This is the only place that I can hunker down and be safe at the moment," said Cadiou.
He said he wants to be home to protect his house and belongings, as well as help his elderly neighbors who are also riding out the storm at home.
"The man's 80 years old. She's 7. You know, you have to look after people. We have to take care of that," said Cadiou. "I have family and friends here. They're most important."
Many residents like Mitchell told WPTV they're going to wait and see how the storm develops before making that final decision.
He said he evacuated during Hurricane Idalia in 2023 but had trouble getting back home after the storm.
"You as a husband, as a father, when you see your family in the line of this storm, what goes through your mind?" asked Lopez.
"It's scary. They will be a big factor in my decision. If i think they're in danger I'll leave," said Mitchell. "There's nothing that we can do to control any of this but put your faith and trust in
Christ and lean on him, if you lose all your belongings and you have Christ you still have everything."
Read more of WPTV's coverage of Hurricane Helene below:
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Steve Weagle: Here's what you need to know about Helene
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Category 4 Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend
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COUNTY-BY-COUNTY IMPACTS: What to expect
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HURRICANE HELENE: Palm Beach Co., Treasure Coast under Tropical Storm Warning
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'Cautiously optimistic': Wellington prepping for potential flooding
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'WAITING AND WATCHING': Belle Glade, South Bay preparing for impacts of Helene
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