‘We couldn’t find gas cans’: Northeast Ohio natives bracing for Hurricane Milton’s impact

CLEVELAND (WJW) – Brandy Lemire was helping people affected by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina when she found out there was an evacuation order in Sarasota, Florida.

“We couldn’t find gas cans, even in Georgia. And then we got into Florida yesterday and we couldn’t find gas,” said Lemire.

She and her family moved to Sarasota from Green, Ohio almost five years ago.

Brandy said her home is about a mile and a half inland, which is right in Milton’s path, so she rushed back early Monday morning.

“When we got into Florida, 75 North was dead stop traffic. If you didn’t leave early Monday morning or Sunday night, you are struggling to get out and there’s no gas,” said Lemire.

More than five million people were urged to leave Florida’s western coast, one of the largest evacuations in state history.

Brandy said they managed to get to a town about 45 minutes away.

Now, she and five other families are sheltering in place.

“We have air mattresses, generators, we are boarding up today. We are just going to ride it out.  The worst part is this is predicted to be the worst storm in a century,” said Lemire.

Alexis Giammaria of Highland Heights is in her freshman year at The University of Tampa.

“I was shocked. I didn’t know this was going to be such a big hurricane until my roommate told me,” Giammaria said.

She said she was just told to come back to campus after Hurricane Helene.

“My flight was Sunday. I was told to come back and then I was told to evacuate Monday,” said Giammaria.

She said she booked a flight out of Tampa back to Cleveland Monday night; however, it was canceled.

“All flights were canceled, all buses were canceled. I tried to Uber to Orlando, it was a three-hour ride,” said Giammaria.

Giammaria said she managed to find a flight out of Orlando to Chicago Monday afternoon.

She returned to Northeast Ohio Tuesday night.

“I am heartbroken for the people in Tampa. I’m lucky I had the resources to get out but some people have to stay because financially, they cant leave. And gas is out and everything,” said Giammaria.

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