'Getting ready to buckle down': New Orleanians rush for supplies and gas ahead of Francine (2024)

  • BY JOSIE ABUGOV | Staff writer

    Josie Abugov

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In the crammed Costco parking lot early Monday, Taffy Butler-Johnson loaded her trunk with bottled water and non-perishable food in preparation for Tropical Storm Francine. A New Orleans East resident, Butler-Johnson said she wasn't too concerned about the storm, expected to make landfall near Lafayette late Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane, but wanted to be prepared just in case.

“We’re getting ready to buckle down for 48 hours,” she said in the crowded parking lot, as people exited the store with carts loaded with water, ice and canned food among other groceries. “Hopefully all we get is the rain and wind.”

After battling the crowds at Costco, Butler-Johnson said she was headed to Winn-Dixie for more supplies, especially Spagghetios for her seven-year-old son, who is autistic and particular about the food he eats.

“To us, it’s just another day,” she said.

Thousands of metro area residents spent the day preparing for the storm by stocking up on batteries and flashlights from Home Depot and non-perishable groceries from Walmart. Long lines also formed as residents rushed to gas up their cars.

While the forecast models predicted landfall somewhere along Louisiana's central coast, the New Orleans area could still see significant effects, including powerful winds, flooding and power outages. Those with memories of recent storms, ranging from Ida to Katrina, were not taking any chances.

'Getting ready to buckle down': New Orleanians rush for supplies and gas ahead of Francine (5)

'Literally a fortress'

Near Butler-Johnson in the busy Costco lot, Allison Akhter, 37, rolled her shopping cart of water, toilet paper and snacks for her kids. Due to the sturdy construction of her house, which she described as “three bricks thick,” Akhter said she’s not worried. Aside from stocking up on food, she feels totally prepared.

“Our house is literally a fortress,” she said. “Every hurricane, totally fine.”

But others were still searching for supplies to prepare, according to Charles Molinaro, who works at Home Depot on South Claiborne. By Monday morning, he said he had already noticed an uptick in people buying flashlights, rain suits, ponchos and batteries.

In the Home Depot parking lot, Carl Kirksey said he doesn’t need to prepare much because he has a generator in his home. But if Francine was forecasted to be bigger than a Category 1, as it was expected to be on Monday morning when The Times-Picayune spoke to him, he would leave.

“I’d have been gone already,” he said.

By Monday afternoon, Francine was expected to make landfall as a Category 2 hurricane.

In the Walmart parking lot on Tchoupitoulas, Kirk Zeno, standing beside a shopping cart loaded with water, expressed optimism about the city’s ability to withstand the storm, especially in contrast to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “Ain’t no hurricane going to hit like Katrina. We could stand a hurricane.”

Email Josie Abugov at Josie.Abugov@TheAdvocate.com.

Low-level offenders freed from New Orleans jail, 176 more evacuated as Francine looms, sheriff's office says

Nearly 200 inmates will be evacuated and an unnamed number of low-level offenders will be released from Orleans Justice Center in preparation for Tropical Storm Francine, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office stated in a Monday afternoon press release.

More information

Hurricane Francine is threatening Louisiana. See our latest headlines.

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Will Tropical Storm Francine see 'rapid intensification'? Here's what the models, forecasts say.

Warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico are expected to help Tropical Storm Francinequickly grow into a Category 2 hurricane before it strikes the …

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'Getting ready to buckle down': New Orleanians rush for supplies and gas ahead of Francine (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to complete Gas Station Simulator? ›

When focusing on the main objectives, Gas Station Simulator is about 10½ Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 27½ Hours to obtain 100% completion.

What to do if someone asks for gas money? ›

First, offer to help without giving them cash. If a woman asks for money for gas, instead offer to pay to pump a few gallons for her. If the phone is locked in the car, ask who you can call to help them out. Certainly check their story.

How do you unlock landmarks in Gas Station Simulator? ›

They can be unlocked by leveling up the Gas Station.

How often do you need to stop for gas on a road trip? ›

For example, if your car gets 30 MPG and has a 12-gallon tank, your car should be able to go 360 miles on a fill-up. However, your actual mileage will vary so you should plan to fill up with around a quarter tank left, just in case. Multiply by . 75 to find the optimum miles to go between gas stops.

Why does Gas Station Simulator take so long to load? ›

the long load times might be a mixture of you being on HDD (and possibly) having other things taking resources. atm this game takes a lot of resources to run so it should be highest priority. Many new games are going to need ssd in the future. NEED is a big word of course, but if you want to reduce loading times...

How to get unlimited money in Gas Station Simulator? ›

You just buy any shelf unit and then open your backpack, locate it and hold down the square button where it says sell and the money keeps on increasing until you let go of the button.

What is the code in Gas Station Simulator? ›

Codes
CodesRewards
waterHydro Tank L1
energyBattery L1
despacitoTurns into the Despacito Spider

What does the pneumatic hammer do in Gas Station Simulator? ›

Stop… It's hammer time! With the hammer tool available in Gas Station Simulator, you'll be able to change the positions of the cash register, trash can, walls, windows, doors. You will also be able to adjust queue placements – how cool is that!

When should you leave a road trip? ›

“We always recommend, especially during the holidays, leave early in the morning,” Diaz said. “The later you leave in the day, the worse it's going to be because a lot of times during the week … you're going to mix with those commuters on the road.”

Does turning off car in traffic save gas? ›

Unless you drive a vintage, carburetor-equipped vehicle, you'll save fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by turning it off. Some drivers think that idling uses less fuel than restarting, but our research has found that drivers save fuel and reduce emissions by shutting down for stops as brief as 10 seconds.

How do you save gas when stuck in traffic? ›

Avoid Idling

If you're stuck in traffic, it can be tempting to sit there and wait it out. But did you know that idling for just two minutes can waste more gas than restarting your engine? So, next time you're caught in a jam, try turning your engine off and on again every few minutes to save on gas.

How many levels are in Gas Station Simulator? ›

The Player can unlock new Products, Locations, Decorations, and upgrades for their Gas Station. There's currently 13 popularity levels that can be unlocked.

Is Gas Station Simulator worth playing? ›

Gas Station Simulator feels like a weird game to want to play, but you want to play it. Like most simulators, the tasks at hand are menial and repetitive, but it's generally a fun game to keep progressing through.

Do you ever get car wash in Gas Station Simulator? ›

The Car Wash is a location in Gas Station Simulator. It can be unlocked when the Gas Station reaches Level 4. The Player must spend $1000 to renovate the plot in order to build the car wash, next the player must travel to the sewers and increase the water pressure before opening the car wash.

What happens if you retire in Gas Station Simulator? ›

When you retire, you lose all your upgrades and any levels over level 20, but you will keep your wallet money and accessories. The benefits of retiring may seem small, but they add up quickly to become a very powerful feature. Retiring gives you bonuses.

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