HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — Just 3 days before Christmas and neighbors along Hoover Beach are bracing for the worst once again.
According to Hamburg Town Supervisor Randy Hoak, a mandatory evacuation of the Hoover Beach neighborhood went into effect 8pm Thursday. This change left many residents scrambling to beat the clock.
"I think I'm mentally and physically exhausted," said Carrie Meyer, Southshore Resident. "A lot of pressure and anxiety and just like you're trying to stay calm and talk to family and friends not to make anybody worried. Right, like it's the holiday season. You have a lot of family and friends calling. Neighbors are calling.
Meyer lives right on Lake Erie and says although she's hoping for the best, she's prepared for the worst.
"All day and all night I've been taking down my china and packing it up in plastic bins," said Meyer. "Taking some things out of the home that I think are very valuable and important to me. So documentation and pictures and things like that. Just in case because I don't know what's going to happen."
Many neighbors along Hoover Beach have boarded up the backs of their homes to try to keep record high waves from damaging their properties.
"The lake levels are what we're most concerned about," said Sean Crotty, Town of Hamburg Emergency Manager. "The rise in the lake levels. It's going to be historic to 1985's numbers. In 1985 it heavily impacted the Hoover Beach community."
Crotty said a list of hotels have been forwarded to the home owners association and reminds residents if they don't leave, help may not be guaranteed.
"It's going to be a matter of going through and telling people they have to leave but if they need help while the mandatory evacuation is in place, if it is not safe enough for our rescuers to go we're not going to go in and rescue them," said Crotty. "So if there's any problems they're going to have to ride it out."
Meyer said her children live nearby and is lucky she can stay with them during the storm. However, the timing of it all couldn't have come at more inconvenient time.
"A lot of people had a lot of decorations, and a lot of food, and a lot presents and gifts ready for family and friends," said Meyer. "So they had to remove all those things from their homes and head to safety."