MYAKKA CITY, Fla. — According to Sarasota County, residents can expect high flood levels from Thursday to Saturday along the Myakka River in areas such as North of Clark Road, near I-75 and US-41.

It comes after Tropical Storm Debby dumped around 21 inches of rain in Myakka City, leaving residents to deal with down trees, closed roads, flooded properties and homes.

“Is the water rising? Yeah, looks like it's getting deeper,” said Sergeant Rob Hendrickson with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Currently, the Florida National Guard has a location available at the Myakka Community Center, handing out bleach, water, tarps and ready to eat meals.

Hendrickson says these efforts help a lot in a rural area, but adds that the last thing they need is more rain.

"Our ditches, lands and roads can’t take any more water. We are still trying to get rid of water,” he said.

Hendrickson has been with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for more than 30 years, working through many hurricanes and storms. He says the biggest challenge with Debby was the road closures.

“Responding to situations became difficult. At one point, State Road 70 was closed in several locations,” he said.

According to Manatee County, there have been more than 4,000 calls to the 311 help number. Hendrickson says since he knows the area well, he was able to respond to calls more easily.

“We had road closures, but we knew farms and ranches that we could cut through to get from one location to another. So, knowing the geography is very helpful,” he said.

While he's out answering calls, he makes sure to check in on residents as he passes by.

Because, for Hendrickson, serving his community is his job 24/7, both as a resident and as a sergeant.