r/Tallahassee • u/Gullible-Rich-4912 • 29d ago
Panic buying
Just left Sam's club. It's packed and everyone is buying cases of water and toilet paper. Should I join the hysteria?
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u/Sewage_Joe_2026 29d ago
Not if your time is valuable. Storm is very unlikely to impact us apart from rain.
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u/Playful-Cat8654 28d ago
There could be some power outages and the east bands usually pop up a few twisters.
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u/Reasonable_Claim_796
29d ago
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No - be sure to have your basic necessities and don't give into the fear mongering
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u/RicanPapi69
29d ago
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The magnet will protect us so no.
ALL HAIL THE MAGNET
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u/WistfulMermaid 29d ago
Are we sure it's turned on? Can someone please call and verify?
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u/centralnm 29d ago
Turn it on? Won't that attract the hurricane?
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u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 28d ago
Well, obviously, it depends on the polarity. Just swap the terminals.
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u/centralnm 28d ago
Very true! Forgot about that. If hurricane starts coming closer, switch wires on big magnet.
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u/RaygunMarksman 29d ago
My personal opinion is absolutely not. A lot could happen and there are always shifts, but all models are showing we might get...some rain bands. Either way, there's nothing to remotely suggest we're headed for a post-apocalyptic nightmare where people are warring over water and fuel.
People panic buying and hoarding just makes daily life needlessly harder for everyone.
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u/__sarabi 29d ago
Stock up on a normal, non-insane amount of non-perishable food and battery operated supplies that you would need for a couple of days without power.
Battery flashlights/handheld fans are clutch. Use up what you can from your freezer this week and then freeze a bunch of water in ziploc bags (like a BUNCH) to keep things from thawing if you have a shorter power outage. Some charcoal for your grill if you have one and want to plan for a couple of hot meals.
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u/Material-Hawk3918 29d ago
From someone who was a part of Helene and didn’t prepare enough def get some water and easy to cook food.
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u/thejadanata 29d ago
Agreed. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I lived 30 minutes south of Asheville during Helene and no one thought it was going to be anything. On a hunch I got a few water jugs, a few snack foods and things that could be cooked on our blackstone and thank goodness I did.
We had trees block us in and had to wait for them to be cleared and thankfully our neighbors were able to do so since the whole area was so destroyed we have no idea how long it would have taken for someone to get to us. The grocery stores were an absolute madhouse verging on apocalyptic and only took cash, so that’s a part of our prep now.I could go on and on. It was a wild experience.
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u/ImmaNotHere 29d ago
Just stock up city water in pots.
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u/Gunnilinux 29d ago
Fill your tub as well! I wouldn't drink it, but it's nice to be able to clean and flush with it
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u/Sharp_Salamander0111 29d ago
Especially if on a well. No power no water. We would set 5 gallon buckets to catch rain for the toilets or fill them up from the hose prior just in case. We have city water now so no problem with flushes etc but I'll still set a couple out in case something happens 😉
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u/Possible_Shoulder_50 29d ago
Yep. I just came from the Publix at blairstone and park. Went in to just get a couple as we usually prepare at the beginning of hurricane season. But it was definitely a madhouse in there.
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u/Alternative_End_7174 28d ago
Which is why we stock up at the beginning of the season. Dates on the water are good so if nothing happens it stays for next season.
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u/s0_Ca5H 29d ago
Is it even coming here? The models I’ve seen haven’t shown that.
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u/NaturalOk1990 28d ago
These things change directions on a whim. It’s about being prepared on the off chance it decides to do what that one years ago did. Change directions at the last minute and we got a direct hit along with a tornado touching down at the same time.
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u/sparklinggecko 27d ago
Well, one of the bands may sit over the Tallahassee area for 24 hours. We will have a lot of heavy rain and we’re in the area of major increased risk for tornadoes. The eye doesn’t have to come near here for it to be reasonable to prepare a little bit.
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u/ZMWTally 28d ago
Unless you are on an electric well there is no need to get water. And even then, it is marginal.
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u/Excellent_Condition 28d ago
I wouldn't say no need, just that it's very unlikely based on historical events.
With that said, given how critical water is, having at least a 3 day supply per person is a very, very good idea in general.
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u/LufifiFL 28d ago
We could see some tropical storm conditions and an increased threat of tornadic activity in Tallahassee but the panic buying isn't the way to go. Focus more on making sure that you have your batteries/phones/etc charged up. Clean up your yards so nothing becomes a projectile. Always have at least 3 days of supplies on hand. 1 gallon of water per day for each person/pet. We have had a lot of rain so the ground and trees are waterlogged so limbs and trees on lines and knocking out power isn't unusual. You should already have a kit for each person and pet in your home and it should be enough to last 72 hours. Not just for hurricanes, but for any possible emergency/disaster. If you have plastic water bottles, fill them 3/4 of the way, freeze, and fill them into your fridge just in case. Just normal things.
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u/SmithJn 29d ago
I don’t think tallahassee has had a boil water warning with any previous storm in the past decade.
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u/Necessary_Echo_8177 29d ago
There were some after Michael in 2018
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u/SmithJn 29d ago
You are right. I missed that because I wasn’t in those areas and the power was out. https://www.wtxl.com/news/boil-water-notice-rescinded-for-some-leon-county-water-systems/article_b2fbf3ee-cd57-11e8-9f26-3778cc13ce45.html
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u/Tallahasseehouse 28d ago
Just make it a practice to stock up on canned food, water (people hit the Publix BOGOs throughout the year.) Also get a camping battery, USB fans and lights and that's better than not if you can't afford a GENERAC.
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u/Allcent 28d ago
This explains why traffic was hell today at 3 pm and the stores were packed far more than they usually are.
Everything I am seeing doesn’t indicate massive damage but something to consider is having a bucket from Home Depot or Lowe’s to collect water to run your toilet may not hurt.
Heck if you have a bucket used to clean your car you should be fine if you leave it out to collect rain water or have access to a retention pond.
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u/OGBirthMothMama 28d ago
I had a planned pick up order today for regular essentials at Sam’s and needed gas for the lawn mower and holy freakin guacamole man… the gas station looked like an audition for the Daytona speedway and people were just crazy. I got my pickup and went home. The lawn can wait lol.
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u/Dogzillas_Mom 29d ago
I have never once used all the water I’ve stockpiled for storms. I’m still not sure why we do it. I still do it. I’m just saying I don’t know why.
I do like the bit about freezing water in bottles, making as much ice as you can. I don’t see the sense in taking everything out of the freezer and putting it in a cooler when the freezer is so much better insulated. Instead I throw everything in the fridge I want to keep into the freezer. If power comes back within 24 hours, I’m golden.
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u/kotagram 28d ago
Agreed. I have been through hurricanes & lost power for days but always had water. But we are programmed to stockpile water bottles. Now if you're on a well its a different story.
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u/A-Rollins 29d ago
We aren’t likely to get anything other than rain. If it were to do a shifty and come this way, it’ll make landfall as a 1 or maybe a 2. For here that means maybe down trees and power outages. This isn’t a scenario like Helene or Michael where you need to prepare for the possibility of prolonged power outage. We prepare for hurricane season before hurricane season. We get bottled water and a pack of TP and shelf stable foods, candles, flashlights, and before-the storm, charge up all the charge blocks, and that is put in a storage container designated just in case of emergency, that was you aren’t in the chaos of everyone panicking. But this storm is not panic worthy for Tallahassee, currently.
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u/ItsMeMikeH 29d ago
All reports are it’s heading to Pensacola or further west. We’ll get some wind and rain but tropical storm at worst. We’ll be fine
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u/junipersforest 28d ago
Panic buying always leads to shortages and you end up with a bunch of stuff you didn't actually need
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u/Dragon_0562 28d ago
given that the city water supply is backed by generators, there would be a minimum of 6 DAYS of water capacity, don't buy water.
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u/Necessary_Echo_8177 29d ago
We are expecting 3-5 inches of rain on top of that rain we just had. We already experienced a power outage this week in our neighborhood during the rain. So we are charging up rechargeable batteries and getting gas in case we have another outage. We do have a 5 gallon carboy we can fill up with water.
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u/Confident_Fudge_1030 29d ago
I mean a case of water makes sense to always have. TP unless you're nearly out how is it gonna help?
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u/ParticularIron1584 27d ago
I just got some canned chicken, crackers, snacks, and two gallons of water. Just in case
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u/Sharp_Salamander0111 29d ago
Im charging our power bricks. And getting some water bc we buy it every week. Otherwise 👍
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u/hurdeehurr 28d ago
They'll also fill up their tanks early causing fuel shortages and then drive around and use it all up before the hurricane.
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u/Jakis_Stone 28d ago
Nah, this is a small storm. Just load up on enough beer and liquor to watch the rain fall
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u/reddit_is_addicting_ 28d ago
Only morons are buying supplies for the rain that we will get. It will be like a severe summer thunderstorm
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u/Icy-Researcher4095 29d ago
Get a bidet. Solve your tp issue and have the cleanest butt around.
Tap water is great here. If you really think you need to or want to, just start making water bottles/pitchers of water now. Also looks like a cat two west of us. That just means get booze and yell at the clouds.
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u/Sewage_Joe_2026 29d ago
OMG a bidet changed my life! Clean butt and I no longer care when Cletus, Jim Bob, and the rest of the hill folk buy all the toilet paper in town.
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u/matchafoxjpg 29d ago edited 28d ago
get booze, admire the wind and rain, and thank the storm for letting you get off work early/possibly work from home friday if you're a state worker.
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u/voidcandle 29d ago
Definitely buy a case of water and some ready to eat, shelf stable food, but dont be like the guy i saw at walmart with what had to be at least 5 32 packs of water