PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Those last-minute storm preps are underway and hardware stores are being stretched as people shift from getting materials to clean up and fix storm damaged homes, to trying to protect them for the second time in less than a month.

For Eric Johnson, packing shopping carts to the brim and waiting in long lines is becoming repetitive. He just got hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

“I had three feet of water in my house,” he said. “Everything I own is in front of my house.”

As a lifelong Floridian, business owner and hurricane survivor, preparing for a storm like this one doesn’t get any easier.

“You know, the most emotional part of it. Last Friday, I went in my garage and everything my kid owned was floating around in my garage. She’s 11. I threw her pictures out. Toys,” he said.

That emotional feeling is shared by so many pulling up to this Home Depot. Dominic and Hoa Nguyen want to prepare their Pinellas Park home too.

“We were actually still cleaning up after the previous hurricane, Helene. We had a lot of debris in our yard that we had to get rid of just in case it becomes dangerous and flying around.”

They came to get one of the hottest items. A generator.

“Looking to see if we can get any generators, any supplies to keep the power going and something to board up the window,” Dominic said.

But they were a minute too late. All the generators were sold out. After seeing the long line and the item they needed most gone, they left empty-handed but still on a mission to protect their home during the storm.

Johnson said he’s just as determined to do that too.

“I got my kid out of here. I’m getting everything I can and I’m stashing it where I think it will be safe. Hope my business is still there when I get done. After that, who knows,” said Johnson.

While many of the people at the store say they’re worried, most are hopeful and as prepared as they’re gonna get.