Many across Acadiana are getting ready for Hurricane Nicholas. Preparations are also underway to help areas to our west, still recovering from last hurricane season.
At Lafayette's Wildlife And Fisheries Office, the State Fire Marshal brought in 30 boats to be on standby to help out with potential flooding.
Southwest Louisiana has dealt with flooding once already this year in May. Many are hoping Nicholas will be a different story.
"Nicholas is coming our way and I am hoping, I am praying that it's not the same thing."
In May, Porsha Evans was trapped inside her home for almost a week because of severe flooding in Derby Heights.
"I couldn't move for several days so I couldn't go anywhere. All I could do was walk the flooded waters to the end of the road and hopefully catch a ride,” said Evans.
Her father Clarence Wilson evacuated from Lake Charles as he continues to recover from last year's storms.
"I came here because this was a safe place and a new start. I'm here for that,” said Charles.
After May's severe flooding, LCG approved 25 million dollars in drainage projects, one of those in the Derby Heights neighborhood.
"We had an aqua dam deployed in that area to get some of that water out of there. The aqua dam is still in place today,” said LCG Drainage Director Brian Smith.
Now all Evans and her family can do is wait.
"We're just hoping for safe passage. We just want this next tropical storm to come through and leave us,” said Evans.
In addition to these boats, the National Guard has also moved some resources from Southeast Louisiana to western areas to get ready for Nicholas.
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