City of Clearwater, Pinellas Co. holds hurricane preparedness expo for residents [Video]

CLEARWATER, Fla., (WFLA) — Hurricane season has begun, and the time to prepare is now.

The city of Clearwater, Pinellas County, and other organizations partnered together for a hurricane preparedness expo on Saturday morning.

During the event, people were able to receive sandbags, learn about their flooding zones, and make an evacuation plan for themselves and their pets.

“It takes a lot of pressure off of our city, our first responders, if people prepare early,” said Clearwater Mayor, Bruce Rector.

Sandbag after sandbag was filled and put into people’s cars as they gear up for hurricane season.

“We get a lot of concern about flooding in homes, so what folks are doing this morning, just getting your sandbags early. We’ve had flooding even with heavy rains in Clearwater and so, these sandbags even help us during those heavy storms,” Rector said.

Some residents said sandbags get harder to find the …