Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Retailers say they’re stocked and ready for residents’ needs.
Retailers say they’re prepared to help meet residents’ hurricane needs
FORT LAUDERDALE — Don’t panic, at least not about hurricane supplies.
Grocery stores, home improvement stores, gas stations and other retailers say they’re “stocked and ready” for South Florida residents preparing for Hurricane Dorian.
While gallon jugs of water seemed to be flying off grocery store shelves mid-week, retailers say they’re getting more and even extra deliveries through the weekend when the storm could be off the state’s eastern coast.
But if you don’t find water or other basic supplies immediately available at the grocery store, try your nearby drugstore, dollar store, liquor store or home improvement store.
No time to shop? Have food and drink from grocery or liquor stores delivered via Instacart and Shipt, or you can order almost anything from Amazon.
An Amazon spokeswoman said Wednesday that there are currently no restrictions or cutoffs on the Amazon site for deliveries to South Florida. But do make sure to double-check the delivery date so your items will be delivered by the weekend, or before the storm is expected to arrive.
There also is still plenty of gas to fill those cars, trucks and gas tanks for the generator, according to Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA. “You typically see spotty outages because so many [consumers] are filling up at one time,” he said. Right now, “we’re oversupplied with gasoline in Florida.”
Gas supplies will be plentiful as long as the ports remain open, and there are trucks making deliveries as well, Jenkins said.
Extra supplies arriving
David Territo, manager at Lowe’s in Boynton Beach, said Lowe’s this week shipped additional hurricane supplies to communities that could be affected by the storm. He said shoppers are buying flashlights and batteries, portable radios, generators and propane, gas tanks, storm panels and plywood. They might also consider picking up first-aid kits, rope to tie down boats and water, he said.
And while you’re at Lowe’s, you also can pick up some extra water. “We have water year-round,” Territo said.
Fresh Market is bringing in extra water to its South Florida stores, according to Michael Johnson, regional manager of operations. And the grocery store is “stocked and ready” with other supplies, said store spokeswoman Meghan Flynn.
While canned tuna is a popular staple for hurricane-facing shoppers, she said Fresh Market is also stocking other varieties of tinned seafood including Chinook salmon, spiced sardines, lemon herb mussels, smoked habanero oysters and escargot, which also are selling well.
Customers also can have their hurricane supplies delivered from Fresh Market by Instacart, which will be delivering as long as the roads are safe, she said.
Walmart spokesman Casey Staheli said the store has an “emergency support team” that is monitoring the storm and supplies to stores. If there’s a shortage of water or other basics at area stores, shipments are rerouted to boost the supply, he said.
Publix Super Markets said it stocks hurricane supplies — especially water — at its warehouses by June 1, the start of the hurricane season, so it is ready when a storm approaches. “We closely track the projected path to make sure that we’re sending supplies to the most critical areas of need,” a spokeswoman said.
If your concern is the comfort of light and cold food, if the power goes out in a storm, there’s still an opportunity to buy a portable generator this week.
But check the wattage. Most portable generators will power your refrigerator, some lights, a TV, but not the whole house. Lowe’s provides this wattage worksheet to help with buying a generator: Generator wattage worksheet.
Helen Whitehorn rushed into a Miramar Publix on her way to work to pick up four cases of water just to be safe.
“The news said we might be in danger of experiencing a major hurricane so I just want to be prepared,” she said. “If not, my choir will use the water.”
Some early birds flocked to Home Depot in Miami’s Coconut Grove to beat the anticipated rush of crowds and empty shelves. They were glad to basically have the store for themselves and shelves mostly stocked. They were stocking up on batteries and flashlights, which they will add to their hurricane kit.
“I always worry about this stuff. I’m always early,’’ said Ileana Draschner outside the store with her son, DJ, 33, Wednesday morning. “The earlier the better.”
“The news said we might be in danger of experiencing a major hurricane so I just want to be prepared.” Helen Whitehorn, Miramar Publix customer