“I hate to tell people this, but it continues,” Padgett said, adding that those in “low-lying areas” face a “death threat” from Helene.

“They are calling for a storm surge of 18 to 20 feet. We’ve never had a storm surge like this in this county,” he said. “You can kind of hide from the wind, but you can’t hide from the water.”

Most people who have chosen not to evacuate live further inland and in less threatening situations than on the coast, he said.

Helene is expected to be one of the Gulf Coast’s largest storms, with winds of up to 125 miles per hour. Tornado warnings were also issued within the storm zone.

“I’ve lived here my whole life and never worried about a storm. “I’m worried about this storm,” Padgett said.

He said he was so concerned that he believed it would be safer for residents to go to shelters in other counties. Taylor County did not open a shelter because it was directly in the path of the storm, he said, and officials feared shelter residents could end up in a dangerous situation.

Uber has offered to transport Taylor County residents to shelters outside the county, Padgett said.

“Every agency in the state is here to help us weather this storm that will hit us head-on,” Padgett said. He said power plant crews were lining up waiting for the storm to pass and food trucks were available for those in need.

“We have everything prepared,” Padgett said, adding that it’s “a big waiting game right now.”

Helene is the third major storm in a year for Taylor County, Padgett said: “But we will persevere. We will get better. Just sit deep and hold on.”