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While many people are still trying to make up their minds about the potential
severity of the storm threatening the U.S. northeast,
it’s not stopping millions of concerned residents from racing to to grocery stores, gas stations and hardware depots in
droves.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it looks like when the 99% of
Americans who have failed to prepare for a disaster wake up and realize they are facing a major crisis take a look at
what’s happening on
the east coast ahead of Hurricane Sandy.
Good luck buying lanterns, generators, propane, or – if you are
really unprepared – rain boots and batteries in areas in the path of
Hurricane Sandy as it bears down on the U.S. East Coast.
The approach of the gigantic storm, which is expected to come ashore
on Monday night set off a weekend scramble for supplies from Virginia to New
England, causing long lines at gas stations, bare shelves at hardware and
home-supply shops, and a run on bread, bottled water and canned foods.
“It’s been crazy. We’re the only one open who still
has gas,” said Karen Tripodi, a customer
service representative at Cumberland Farms, a gas station and market in
Newington, Connecticut.
“They’re coming in for propane, ice, water, milk and
cigarettes.”
…
In Hartford
Connecticut on Saturday, from the shoreline
to well inland, residents and business owners scrambled to get ready for
Sandy.
Preparations for the storm took place all over the state, as banks,
pharmacies, home improvement centers, electronics stores, pet shops and
supermarkets opened Saturday to lines of customers stocking up.
Early birds got D batteries, flashlights, propane refills, bottled
water and other sought-after storm supplies. Those arriving later had to deal
with bigger crowds, dwindling supplies and, in some cases, empty shelves.
Meteorologists are warning residents across over 600 miles of
coastline from Wilmington, Delaware to Bangor, Maine that they need to brace
for widespread power outages, sustained high winds, Appalachian snows, deadly
storm surges for low lying, massive beach erosion, and flooding in what is
being referred to
by the NOAA as an “historic storm.”
Millions of Americans within the path of the storm, who waited too
long to take it seriously, are now scrambling to acquire the most basic
necessities ahead of Sandy’s expected landfall sometime early Tuesday
morning:
Richmond, VA:
Folks across Central Virginia, the Northern Neck and much of the East
Coast started stocking up at the grocery store as forecasters warned of the
looming “Frankenstorm.”
“It is a little surprising. I didn’t think it would
come that close to the coast,” Connie Davidson told CBS 6 News’
Sandra Jones.
Davidson was getting a jump on Hurricane Sandy and stocking up on
basics, including water and batteries.
She’s was just one of numerous customers Friday at Pleasants
Hardware.
“I got an oil lamp, got a portable castle iron. I got a portable
heater,” Carl Shiles said. “It’s
going to be getting cool next week — and if we lose power, I have a
92-year-old mother-in-law.”
“During the storm, we figure we’ll have gas. So,
we’re going to get a lot of things that we can to just pop in the oven
and be done with it,” he said.
…
New Jersey:
Foodtown –
Middletown, New Jersey – Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012 (via Twitter)
Preparations ranged from mandatory evacuations ordered by Gov.
Christie for portions of the Jersey Shore to residents preparing for long
power outages by cleaning shelves of water, batteries and bread. New
Jersey’s utility companies also were preparing for a massive number of
power outages.
People turned to social media to report bare shelves in grocery stores
and the early effects of the storm in their communities, including strong
winds and even flooding in some Shore towns.
…
Brooklyn:
Items such as flashlights, D batteries and bottled water have already
run low in many locations, as have bread and nonperishable food items. Other
items that may run low include tarps and pumps.
Grocery store lines in Bushwick, Brooklyn,
and undoubtedly throughout the city were stretching through the aisles this
evening. According to ABC News, one Trader Joe’s line just to enter the
store wrapped around the block.
Also, FreshDirect has cancelled deliveries
tonight, causing more people to head to actual grocery stores than usual.
…
Montgomery,
Pennsylvania:
Throughout the area, grocery stores and gas stations were crowded
Sunday as residents stocked up on necessities.
The lines at the pumps at Sunoco on Valley Forge Road at Whites Road
were three or four cars deep late Sunday morning, and the cars trying to get
in and out were causing jams in the parking lot and on Valley Forge.
Denise Bohne-Schmidt, a nine-year employee
of the Sunoco, said the gas station ran out of regular gasoline Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. When it runs out, a truck comes to the station to
replenish the supply, but that sometimes takes hours.
She said she’s never seen the gas station so busy, not even
before a snowstorm.
“People are complaining, screaming, yelling, they’re
yelling at me and there have been fights between customers — it’s
been a mess.”
At Weis Market on Valley Forge Road in Lansdale, manager Mike Ryan
said that sales are up 29 percent since Friday, with most people buying cases
of bottled water and bread. He had three extra deliveries, but the bread
supply was almost depleted and bottled water was dwindling.
“People who have well water are nervous, because if the power
goes out, they won’t have water,” he said.
Arlene Widman of Lansdale had several cases
of bottled water in her cart for herself and her two adult daughters.
“We don’t know how had it’s going to be.
That’s the issue,” she said. “From what they’re
saying it’s going to be a doozy.”
For those on the east coast, we wish you the best as the brunt of the
storm passes over the next 72 hours. Many of our readers have likely prepared for
the worst and have critical supplies like
food, potable water, gas, batteries, off-grid cooking supplies and generators
on hand.
For those still lacking supplies, we’d strongly recommend
stocking up on as many snow
hurricane preparedness items as
you can within the next 12 hours if supplies are still available in your
area.
With the potential for widespread power outages and flooding, there is
a strong possibility that many areas may experience supply problems in coming
days and weeks, especially if this storm damages critical utility
infrastructure.
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