TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Tampa communities not under evacuation orders are preparing to ride out the storm.

In Wellsville, near Seminole Heights, many neighbors boarded up homes Tuesday.

"I have impact windows so that's why I'm boarding up," said Ashleigh Rabideau. "A lot of the neighbors around here, they either have plywood up or hurricane shutters."

"I've got a generator, I'm boarding up, protecting all my windows, checking my roof, I've got gas, food, and I have an evacuation plan," said Robert Holmes.

Many inland communities are preparing for potentially devastating hurricane-force winds and flooding.

"I'm worried about that tree and those two trees and all of the debris on the streets everywhere coming through the windows," said Holmes who had to get creative to make sure his home is protected.

"I ran out of plywood and so I have a lot of bamboo that I've been trimming away from the power lines and so I need to practice this window on each side and I was like oh bamboo, it's super strong," said Holmes.

Many neighbors were also putting sandbags in place to protect their homes from flooding.

"Everybody is just really worried about more flooding, more debris, and I'm worried about my neighbors," said Holmes.