FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Cleanup from Hurricane Helene continues as Milton makes its approach to Florida. Residents in our area are dealing with both hurricanes. Buchanan Hauling helps with hurricane recovery People impacted by Hurricane Helene are still hurting. This pulled at the heart strings of Fort Wayne resident Abigail Hull, who is taking her kids to Tennessee to help with recovery efforts for a few days. She says, "I think a lot of people don't understand the extent of the damage and the magnitude of the way that these people's lives have just all of a sudden changed. I've heard stories that some of these communities are expected to be without power for several months...there is entire towns that have been completely wiped off the map pretty much...they're going to have to be completely rebuilt. So I think for us here in Fort Wayne, it's really easy to just kind of go on with our life as normal and not pay attention to what other parts of the country and other parts of the world are going through, and I think there's a lot we can do to help…you know, not everybody can go and volunteer, but there's other ways that you can help as well…you can, you know, donate supplies, donate money…even just going and donating blood…things like that, you know, reaching out, finding those volunteer organizations if you are able to go and volunteer…I just really encourage people to see what areas of their life where they can, you know, give and help and you know, reach out and do those things." She is partnering with IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service), which is a non-profit from Noblesville. You can learn more about them by clicking here. While she helps out with Helene, people in Florida are getting ready for Hurricane Milton. Fort Wayne resident Desiree Koger-Gustafson, along with her husband, purchased a second home in Cape Coral, Florida, in 2021. A year later, Hurricane Ian made landfall. While their home was spared from flooding, here is some insight into what Florida residents face after Milton: "Your ability to get people in to either fix your internet or to fix anything…we literally just got a lot of our…all the remedies that needed to happen with our home finished. So, and now we're kind of bracing for round two. But, you know, everything you would think of…it's just hard to get people to actually be able to come and do the work. Of course then you're dealing with insurance and there's a lot that they don't pay for…so it's just really just so much because everybody's in that kind of same boat, if you will." They will be watching their Ring camera and hoping their home is spared from the flooding with Milton. They elected to not use hurricane shutters and sandbag because of them not being there this week and because of the cost. Fort Wayne family on cruise ship near Milton’s path Dustin Norman, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Northern Indiana office, used to work for the National Weather Service in Tampa. While wind, rain, and tornadoes are all concerns, he says residents should heed evacuation notices because of the potential record storm surge threat. "Don't deal with storm surge…it's a terrifying thing. It will be the most terrifying event in your life…I can guarantee it. If you get storm surge flooding around your house, it will be absolutely terrifying. So just don't chance it…you know, best case scenario, you can come home, you didn't get flooding, but you know what, you don't want to make the wrong decision." Norman shares a weather service slogan: "Run from the water, hide from the wind." Most homes built within the last 20 to 30 years in Florida can withstand major hurricane winds, but the storm surge flooding is the worst. This is usually maximized on the southern side of of the hurricane, due to the onshore winds. Even on the backside of the storm, there is surge potential, including in Jacksonville as easterly winds push water back in. Call on those you know in Florida and ensure they are heeding evacuation orders in surge prone areas. A lot of the homes around Tampa are already gutted from the storm surge flooding from Helene, so any debris left by roadways will make the surge from Milton even more dangerous. You do not have to travel hundreds of miles away, but if you get away from the coast and find a sturdy building to ride out the storm, you will be safe from the surge. Unfortunately, those displaced by Helene in Tampa will continue to be displaced from Milton for quite some time. It is very tiring and stressful for people to be in this situation. For the Tampa weather service office, they work around the clock on 12 hour shifts to update all of their products four times a day as Milton approaches. They collaborate with other weather service agencies and handle a lot of calls and interviews. Plus, they handle the surveys after the storms. The National Guard and FEMA are already in Florida and ready to go. You can consider donating to disaster response agencies heading to assist with recovery. Keep trying to contact your friends and family after the storm and you can also utilize ham radio as a means of contact free of cell phone lines. We are thinking of everyone impacted by Milton this week. We hope everyone stays safe.