LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — As Tropical Storm Elsa makes its way closer toward Central Florida, county leaders across the region are preparing for the storm.

What You Need To Know

Lake County has activated its emergency operations center and has opened up sandbag fill sites around the county so residents can protect their property.

As soon as the sun was up at the Minneola Athletic Complex, residents began filing in to fill up sandbags, packing up what they may need ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa’s arrival.

“I come here to sweat and get the sandbags,” said Maria Arredondo of Clermont. 

Arredondo is skipping the gym on Tuesday and instead is getting her workout loading up sandbags and packing them into her car.  

With Tropical Storm Elsa approaching, she wants to be ready when it hits. With her driveway at an angle, Arredondo said it does not take much rain to find its way inside her garage.

“My neighborhood is very hilly, so we live down the hill, all the rain just runs against us,” Arredondo said. 

These sandbags will go a long way toward keeping her home dry. So a few sprinkles while she is packing them up will not slow her down.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s raining, I need to get the sandbags wherever they are," she said. 

And even if Elsa does not impact Lake County and her newly created sandbags go unused for now, she said her hard work here will not be a total wash. 

“This is enough, I think I got in my gym today, lifting my weights, that’s enough,” Arredondo said. 

The Minneola Athletic Complex is one of several sandbag sites Lake County has opened up ahead of Elsa. 

If you still need to come out to pack up some supplies, do not forget to bring a shovel. 

Looking for a sandbag site in Lake County? Go right here.