Flood preparations help Arcadia American Legion avoid damage after heavy rain

ARCADIA, Fla. (WWSB) - Heavy rain flooded roads and surrounded homes and businesses across DeSoto County last week, cutting off access to an American Legion building in Arcadia. But the water never made it inside.John Fernandez, a volunteer at the Legion, said the flooding was less severe than what he has seen in the past.“If you look at the different floods, I don’t think this one even made the top five,” Fernandez said.The Legion changed how it prepares after previous storms, including Hurricane Ian. Its electrical system is now elevated about five feet off the ground, a precaution Fernandez said helped the organization avoid a bigger problem this time.“Actually we were pretty good because we didn’t have to clean up anything in the building and since it was a really slow flood, and the water rose and went away, it wasn’t like we had a lot of debris,” he said.Although the Legion avoided flooding inside, recovery continues elsewhere in DeSoto County. Several parks and boat ramps remain