Fallen trees and debris left in St. Johns County in wake of Hermine

A massive tree on Steve and Colleen Martin’s yard came within inches of striking their home.

“It was, like, the middle of the night and I heard a thump,” said Colleen Martin.

The Martins said that while they’re glad Hermine didn’t cause too much damage, it’s important to not let your guard down with any storm.

“It doesn't matter. You have to be prepared regardless. It could've been worse. It could always be worse, but always be prepared,” said Steve Martin.

Also in Fruit Cove, it took a St. Johns County Fire Rescue crew nearly two hours to slice up a massive tree and get it off Race Track Road.

Kevin Hill, who works nearby, was one of the first to report the tree to law enforcement, after getting stuck on the road on the way back from his lunch break.

“Then another guy came up. He was going to try to pull the tree but the cops came then so I just sat there and waited for a minute,” said Hill.

No one was injured but traffic was blocked around lunch time Friday, which is about the same time that Action News Jax alerted you to a tornado warning in parts of St. Johns and Clay counties.

“It wasn't raining. It was just mostly wind,” said Hill.

Hermine is the first hurricane to hit Florida in more than a decade , and the Martins said the storm is a reminder that Floridians should always be on alert.

“Just the fact that we've gone without for a long time is a blessing yet a curse because then you get unprepared and you don't want to do that,” said Steve Martin.

Cox Media Group