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Miller's Island residents prepare for Florence

Posted at 11:35 PM, Sep 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-10 23:35:11-04

Area residents have already started preparations as memories of Hurricane Isabel loom and the threat of Florence comes closer.

RELATED: State of Emergency issued for Maryland in anticipation of Hurricane Florence

Those on Miller's Island are no stranger to storm damage; and although there's no guarantee Florence will hit them, they're not taking any chances.

Karen Hetmanski and her daughter are getting ready just in case Florence decides to leave damage in its wake.

"Tomorrow we're actually getting the boards on the windows.  We're going to do the doors that way the water can't get in as easy."

She's lived on miller's island her whole life and knows the devastation severe weather can bring.

"Today we've started to make sure all the gates are tight, we put stuff up so they cant blow over because when the water comes, it pushes everything," said Hetmanski.

Hetmanski lived through Hurricane Isabel.   

"It was bad, the boats that were over here they were in the middle of the street everywhere we had damage.  Boats went through the back of our house and we got damage all the way up to the sixth or seventh step in our house.  The water was over my head."

Residents like Karl Teel tells me he's used to all the work that goes into protecting their homes and valuables.

"I have five waterfront homes altogether.  The one I live in plus four rentals."

Scott Lang doesn't live here, but he docks his boat at a Miller's Island marina.

"I went and checked the line today made sure it's ok. Wednesday I'm moving it over to Sue Creek down in Essex."

Residents said they'll continue to secure their homes, but worry about the damage another hurricane could bring. 

"They take everything.  Everything you have pretty much and you start over, you do your best and you move forward.  It's hard but you do it because you love the community," Hetmanski told WMAR 2 News.

The big concerns right now are the saturated ground, heavy rain, and flooding.