People rush to buy gasoline, supplies

LIHUE — Standing next to a cart filled with plywood outside Home Depot, Nile Dreiling of Kapaa said he was preparing for the worst case scenario.

“If we hear on Friday that stuff’s going to get gnarly, then I’m going to cover all my windows,” he said Tuesday.

It was overcast with a slight breeze as people lined the aisles at Home Depot, buying plywood, ducttape, flash lights, batteries and other necessities.

In all, Dreiling said he has 14 windows at his home.

“We’ve got water, a generator and tons of food,” he said, but it’s not just his house he’s concerned about.

“I own a business up in Hanalei, Kauai Burger food truck, so we’ll also be working on strapping that thing down and making sure the food truck survives as well,” he said.

Jondi Horner of Lawai was in the Walmart parking lot, pushing a packed cart.

“I did some of my shopping yesterday,” Horner said. “This is just more stuff. I’m going to fill gas next.”

Thousands of people getting ready for Hurricane Lane had the same idea Tuesday, creating long lines of cars at Costco, where gasoline and water were in demand.

Store parking lots were jammed with people trying to get last-minute supplies. Many returned to their cars pushing carts jammed with cases of water, toilet paper and canned food.

“From where I could see from at Kauai Realty, there were lines going down the main road leading to the gas station,” said Milo Spindt. “And, there were more cars, coming.”

Michael Carle, who lives in the Wailua Homsteads was buying laundry detergent and propane as part of his preparations.

“They’re one of the bare basics so you need to keep those at all times for any emergency. People don’t realize they need to keep their clothes clean during something like this,” he said.

The fact that people were rushing to buy supplies was unfortunate, but if nothing happens, the items can still be used, he said.

Carle said he’s never been through a hurricane before.

“Anything can happen. We just need to do our best, that’s all,” he said.

Also a resident of Wailua Homesteads, Gray Maguire was preparing for the hurricane.

“I’m just buying some wood to protect the windows and some straps to secure things around the yard and the home,” he said.

If the storm hits, it will be his first one.

“I helped out with Hurricane Iniki, I was in the military and came over here when they had the devastation, so I kind of see the after effects of it,” he said.

The hurricane is like the boy that cried wolf, he said.

“Every time a hurricane coming, everyone’s running through preparing. You’ve got to be prepared and right now if you’re not prepared, then you pay heavy dividends in the end,” he said.

Aside from boarding up his home’s windows and securing things in his yard, Maguire said his family has all of their supplies and needed paperwork together.

Pushing a cart stacked high with plywood, Derrick Ching of the Wailua Homesteads said he was purchasing the wood to protect his windows.

Ching said he was here during Hurricane Iniki and was also collecting canned goods and water to prepare.

“We live in Hawaii so we’ve got to expect hurricanes,” he said.

“You should see the social media pages,” said Cathy Simao, the mayor’s secretary. “Costco is jammed. There’s not a single parking space available.”

•••

Bethany Freudenthal and Dennis Fujimoto contributed to this report.