PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — While Rhode Island won’t be directly affected by now-Category 3 Hurricane Helene, its ripple effects were felt locally Thursday as all flights departing from Tampa and Sarasota were canceled at T.F. Green Airport. Some Rhode Islanders told 12 News they drove from the Gulf Coast to Orlando to find a different way home. LIVE TRACKER: What’s the path of Hurricane Helene? Many travelers were relieved to have arrived safely, fearing they might have been stranded in Florida as the storm approached. However, others said they were not worried. Mary Smith, of Middletown, was visiting her daughter in Orlando, which isn’t expected to experience severe weather. "My daughter has taken some precautions to make sure she stocked up on bottled water just in case, but they're only anticipating possibly some road flooding because of the heavy rain, but nothing really significant," Smith explained. Meanwhile, the Big Bend region of Florida is bracing for "catastrophic" storm surges and winds over 100 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. TRACKING HELENE: Live updates and latest information In response, the Red Cross of Rhode Island has sent four local volunteers down south to assist with evacuation shelters and feeding stations. Richard Branigan, the regional CEO for the Red Cross of Rhode Island and Connecticut, said the volunteers are well-prepared. "What we're hearing is they are in the hunkering-down phase where they're in a pre-landfall location handling the evacuation responsibility for people who are in the path of the storm and they are in the path of the storm as well," Brannigan said. Flight Tracker: Check local arrivals and departures Tom Butz, who's currently vacationing in New England, said his area of Florida is especially vulnerable to flooding due to the lack of a protective barrier reef. "I've lived in Florida my whole life, and I've been through multiple hurricanes," he said. "I'm a homeowner and a business owner. The insurance for whether it's, an automobile, your home, or your business is tough ... and the storms don't help anything at all." Visit the Red Cross's website to make a donation. Pinpoint Weather 12 LinksDetailed 7-Day Forecast | Weather Now | Radar | Hour-by-Hour | Ocean, Bay & Beach | Solar Report | Pinpoint Traffic | Flight Tracker | Active Weather Alerts | Closings & Delays | Power Outages | Get the Weather App Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Pinpoint Weather 12 Alerts SIGN UP NOW