Bay County residents without power after Hurricane Michael found solace Thursday afternoon.
It was at a Tom Thumb gas station in Santa Rosa Beach.
Around 5 p.m., the gas station was bustling with people filling up their cars, red gas cans and even buying snacks from the store.
Corey Massingill and his friend, Adam Thomas are both from Bay County. They have been without power for more than 24 hours when they were filling up. They purchased a generator right before the storm hit and now they need plenty of gas to keep it running.
“We spent $600 about 12 hours before the power went out so we made sure we had that,” he said. “I probably got 29 gallons and we’re about to get five, 10 gallons of diesel. We’re taking what we can, as much as we can.”
The two drove more than 30 miles before they found an open gas station. Finding the Tom Thumb at the corner of Highway 98 and U.S. Route 331 was like striking gold.
“Oh it feels great now that we know we’re going to be alright because we were running out of gas for our generator,” Massingill said. “So now that we’ve got this we can last at least a few more days until we have to come back out here and get gas unless they get gas in town.”
“There ain’t going to be getting no gas in town anytime soon,” added Thomas.
Shalyn Austin is another survivor of the storm. When she pulled up to the gas station, there was a line snaking around the pumps. She waited 30 minutes before she could fill up, but it was the least of her worries.
“It’s the first gas station we could find,” she said. “All the gas stations in our town — whether they had gas or not — are gone. They’re completely destroyed, all of the power lines are down.”
Austin counts herself lucky since there was minimal damage to her townhome. She’s become a refuge for friends and family who have nowhere else to go.
“Right now I have eight adults at my house, one child two dogs a cat a kitten and it’s a two bedroom one-and-a-half bath townhouse,” she said.
With relief efforts underway, Austin said generators, gas, and water are the most essential items in need. Providing shelter is another way to help.
“Maybe even open up your home and help them a little bit if you can our brother and his friends are coming down from Tennessee they got a big RV and they’re going to have food and gas and stuff to help out,” she added.
Diane Woodard drove her daughter’s car from Callaway to get gas. Her own vehicle is stuck under a tree at her home.
“I’ve lived in Bay County all my life. I’ve been through other hurricanes and always took caution. I thought we were prepared…not for this,” she said. “It was something I hope I never see again and I just pray for everybody. Everybody needs help down there.”
With just the clothes on her back, Woodard doesn’t have many possessions left after Hurricane Michael. But she does have her family.
“I had all my grandbabies with me and my daughter and my son’s kids and I’ve got them now. We’re gonna go find a hotel somewhere 'cause we ain’t going to be going back home…but we’ll make it.”
To help victims of Hurricane Michael, you can donate to the state’s disaster relief fund at volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf. Destin Fire Station is also collecting items to bring to Panama City. Learn more at facebook.com/destinfirerescue.
