Tampa Residents Seek Supplies As Hurricane Irma Targets Florida

TAMPA, FL — Tampa residents continued their desperate search for supplies that might help them survive the possible onslaught of Hurricane Irma. As Florida remained in the hurricane’s path, residents waited in long lines for bottled water, gasoline and plywood as businesses ran out. Motorists lined Sheldon Road near the River Oaks Fire Station on Wednesday for more than a mile for the opportunity to fill sandbags.

A CVS store near Westchase received a shipment of bottled water at midnight Wednesday, selling out in less than an hour, said store manager Shanna Bookal. The lines stretched from the back of the store and out the front door. Police were called to the store to monitor the crowd. Despite waiting for hours, some customers left empty-handed. As a reporter interviewed Bookal on Wednesday afternoon, two customers came into the store asking when the next shipment might arrive.

Pamela Stenftenagel, a department supervisor at a Home Depot near Westchase, said the store had a steady stream of customers beginning Tuesday, asking for plywood, flashlights, tarps and generators.

“We had a shipment of plywood (Wednesday) afternoon and sold out in about 30 minutes,” she said.

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The store also sold out of generators by Wednesday afternoon. “We keep getting them in and sold out in five minutes,” she said. “Everybody has been very patient. People are just taking it very seriously.”

Grills also have been a top seller as customers seek other methods to cook meals. A BP gas station on Sheldon Road ran out of gas at noon Wednesday, said store manager Michael Rizk. Bright red bags covered the gas pump handles. He said about 40 vehicles lined the street Wednesday morning, and police were called to keep things orderly.

The store ran out of bottled water on Tuesday. "I bought 100 cases (of gallon jugs) and sold out in less than an hour,” he said.

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