Bradford Co., Fla. – Erika may be no longer, but that didn't stop people living in Bradford County from getting some sand bags that emergency management gave out Saturday morning in case our area still gets some heavy rains in the coming days. The flood prone area is already saturated, and they wanted to be this to be proactive, not reactive.
Dozens of cars lined up with people wanting to get sandbags to use to protect their homes and their properties.
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Despite knowing that Erika was less of a threat than originally expected, people say they still wanted to get the sand bags just in case.
"I've got a few places in my yard that floods even with minor rains that we have, so I'm going to block that off so I don't ruin my yard with all the water, said Mike James who came to get sandbags.
The first load of sand was about eight pallets, with people being allowed to take up to 40 bags each. Those eight pallets didn't even make it 30 minutes before more were needed. On Friday, over 1000 bags were given out.
"These people have been through this a lot. Bradford County, we flood. When we get a lot of rain we flood, unfortunately were a little bit of a lower lying county," said Benjamin Bennett, Bradford County Emergency Planner.
Heavy rains in recent weeks and already wet grounds are what prompted Emergency Management Officials to give out the sand bags to help protect people. They say they will do it again in the future of they need to.
Some people that came out to get the sandbags said they're hopeful that they don't have to use them in the next couple days, but that they want to have them just in case they do for now or for some other time in the future.