The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said they are more prepared than ever before for hurricane season as they showcased new pieces of equipment.
Sheriff Bill Prummell said he realized they were not prepared for the storm surge that hurricanes Helene and Milton brought to the coastal areas of Charlotte County.
"Our coastal areas were devastated. We had trouble getting into those areas. My vehicles could not traverse the roadways because they were flooded," Prummell said.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office now has a total of seven new jon boats to float through shallow waters, and they include motors if they need to go through deeper water.
They also have two new ATVs, four UTVs equipped with snorkels, seven lifted marine trucks and the two new high-water trucks that are able to fit about 25 people inside.
Prummell also mentioned that one of the issues they faced with Hurricane Helene was difficulty getting handicapped individuals into the truck.
The sheriff reassured that it would not be a problem anymore with the lifted trucks.
Prummell also said that being self-sufficient will allow them to help out other agencies with their recovery efforts instead of being a burden.
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