EASTPOINT, Fla. (WMBB) – Idalia is making its way to the Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall early Wednesday morning. 

Many people are out filling their cars with gas and buying groceries, and those close to the coastline are barricading their homes. 

“Right now, we are prepared. We have food, all of our gas tanks are full. We have water,” said Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith. 

Piggly Wiggly employees say they’ve had an influx of customers over the past few days. Items such as water, peanut butter, bread, and toilet paper are flying off the shelves. Piggly Wiggly Manager Lee Macklemore says the grocery store will be open during the storm as long as conditions don’t worsen. 

“We’re prepared with all the products here in the store that we need to have for the customers,” said Macklemore. “We have a lot of resources so we can bring things in here. If we have to get emergency trucks brought in from our warehouse to replenish products, we can do that.”

Franklin County is one of the areas that is expected to be impacted more significantly by the storm. There are no plans for evacuations so far, but that can change if the storm becomes stronger and more dangerous. Smith urges locals to heed warnings if they are asked to evacuate. 

“If a mandatory evacuation is announced, then evacuate. If the weather’s too bad, we’re going to be sheltering in place until the storm passes. We’re not leaving the county, but we’re not going to go out in 110-mile-an-hour winds to answer a call for service.”

To stay up to date on Idalia, click here.