21 News reached out to some folks who grew up and lived in the Valley for decades but are now in Florida, waiting out Hurricane Ian.

 

Although the winds are no longer 150 miles per hour Orlando and other areas in its path will face flooding, power outages, and trees falling down as winds hover at around 96 to 100 miles per hour.

 

Category one sustained winds are between 74 to 95 miles per hour.

 

Folks from the Mahoning Valley are weathering the hurricane. 

 

Barbara and Patsy Romeo who grew up in Youngstown but moved to Florida in 1985 are pros at weathering storms.

 

"We've got a generator, gasoline, three propane tanks. We've got water, we've got food. We're ready. We did the math it's our 6th crappy hurricane," Barbara Romeo said. 

 

Sort of Deja vu for the high school sweethearts from Youngstown.

 

"When we had the hurricane in 04, Charlie was going to Tampa and then at the very last minute he decided I'd rather go see Mickey rather than Bush Gardens." Barbara Romeo added.

 

The difference is Hurricane Ian is moving like a turtle as it does its destruction across Florida.

 

Hurricane Ian knocked out power to 2 million people and businesses.

 

This is the second Hurricane for former Warren Councilman Bob Dean who also lives in the Orlando area on a hill near a lake. He says around 4:00 p.m. Thursday morning the downpour will start. Oak trees will go out and power will lines go down due to wind gusts and the saturated ground.

 

"We got about five to six inches of rain on the ground, and it will really start raining at around 4:00 a.m. this morning and we will get about another ten to seventeen inches of water," Dean added. 

 

When he lived in Houston Dean tells 21 News he weathered seven hurricanes 

 

Friends of his building new construction on the beach in Fort Myers are not so lucky. Dean tells us on camera they should see the boards and building materials rise up and be swept away.

 

The Youngstown and Warren families say they learn from each storm and help others. 

 

Bob Dean who is known for helping others, and is retired now helped families who are not prepared for a few days prior to the storm.

 

The Romeos say last time they used their generator to charge neighbors' phones and provide ice.