MIAMI SHORES, FLA. (WSVN) - As South Florida residents start storing up on non-perishable food while a storm gains strength in the Caribbean, local drivers are fueling up.
“I just want to get ahead of the crowd,” said a woman who was fueling up her car, Friday afternoon.
South Floridians are filling up their tanks as they prep and prepare for what may come, as Tropical Depression 9 slowly moves toward the state.
“If anything happens, then it’s going to be more lines,” said Betty Cuatra. “It’s going to be difficult to get the gas.”
Because South Florida is in the cone of concern, Jeffrey Gianbito and his wife are already planning for a possible evacuation.
“I don’t want to be short on fuel,” he said.
He’s gassing up his van that’s fully equipped with a refrigerator, bathroom and a shower.
“If you’ve ever been in a hurricane, you don’t want to take the chances,” Gianbito said.
Others also wasted no time getting gas. Many waited in long lines like the one at Costco in North Miami.
For drivers like Cuatra, who’s been through this before, she said it’s best to get what you can now, before it’s too late.
“You have to make sure that everything is ready,” she said. “You have to be prepared, so right now, we’re going to fill up the car and then go shopping for the hurricane, also.”
Another common sight as a storm looms is price gouging.
If you notice any price gouging, you are asked to contact the attorney general’s hotline at 866-966-7226.
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