Calm and nerves mix as Florida's Panhandle residents prepare for Hurricane Isaias: "We got this"

Residents across Florida's Panhandle prepared for Hurricane Isaias on Thursday, stacking sandbags and securing supplies as local and state leaders declared states of emergency.

Escambia County commissioners declared a local state of emergency Thursday morning. Authorities opened eight locations throughout Escambia County where residents were invited to bring their own shovels and bags to collect free sand.

"This is for my garage," resident Otto Piedmont said as he filled sandbags. "It floods when there's a lot of rain. So, we gotta block it".

While long-time residents remained calm, others expressed anxiety about the approaching storm. Brian Scott noted that community members seemed composed because "we've been through a lot of hurricanes". However, storage facility owner Barbi Scott said she felt nervous about facing her first hurricane.

"My family up north is worried about me saying I should probably evacuate, but I'm going to stick it out," Barbi Scott said. "I'm here for my customers, my company, my friends. We got this".

In downtown Pensacola, business owners covered and sealed gaps around windows. Demands for emergency supplies spiked early, with The Pensacola Hardware Company selling out of generators before noon Thursday. Ramon Juansa, who purchased the store's final generator, expressed hope that the hurricane would pass without causing severe damage.

Gas stations across the area saw steady traffic, though drivers filling up encountered few lines Thursday afternoon, despite some stations closing and boarding up.

Along Pensacola Beach, swimmers and surfers continued entering the water, ignoring red rip current warning flags.

"We have mostly wind-driven swell around here," a surfer named Justin said. "So, there's always a little current. So there's nothing new".

Visitors in the area were also making plans ahead of landfall. Jerrod Gray, visiting from Oklahoma, said his family planned to drive west before Hurricane Isaias arrived.

"We got tornadoes and stuff. We don't have hurricanes that kind of sit around," Gray said. "So, I don't know. I really wasn't that nervous".

Both county and state officials continue preparations to support the region as the storm approaches.