Last year's two hurricanes and last week's subtropical Storm Alberto apparently have more people taking advance preparation a lot more seriously than they used to. getting ready for the storms to come. Leon County and other community partners hosted a storm preparedness "Build Your Bucket" event at the North Florida Fairgrounds the day after the official start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Lots of people, like this woman, had their buckets filled to the brim with disaster supplies.
"A flashlight, a portable phone charger, hand sanitizers, dust mask..." she said, ticking off the list.
Event Chair Royle King with Leon County said early arrivals received the free buckets.
"Last year we had 500 and we upped it to 800 this year," he pointed out. And in about that much time (less than an hour and a half) we were out of them!"
Why the big crowds? King credited recent experience.
"I think the last two hurricane seasons that we had directly affected that," he said. "And then also our efforts in communicating that message of early preparedness."
Preparations that likely will come in handy during what forecasters predict will be an active storm season.
