Residents do some last minute shopping before Hurricane Sandy hits our area

As Hurricane Sandy was making its way up the northeast earlier today, residents here at home were doing some last minute shopping.

Eyewitness News Reporter Jennifer Lee spent the afternoon at Price Chopper in Rome.

Many were making their way to the grocery store today before the "perfect storm," as people are calling it, hits our area.

And store workers say there are specific items that are flying off the shelves.

"I'm ready for the storm like everyone else is," said Diane Leavitt, a Floyd resident.

Residents like Leavitt are doing some last minute grocery shopping to prepare for hurricane sandy. And it seems like everyone is looking for the same staple items.

"We usually get groceries on Monday anyway. The only extra we are doing is getting a little extra water," said Ruth Nowakowski, a Rome resident.

The Price Chopper manager in Rome says the store sold out of water yesterday. They stocked up again today, but they couldn't keep up. Other items like batteries and flash lights are also popular things customers are looking for.

"I think they are just being cautious. I don't think they are over reacting. They are just being cautious and I think that is understandable," said Rome resident, Deane Bergstrom.

Residents Eyewitness News spoke with say they are not anticipating the hurricane to be as severe as they thought it would be this weekend. But, they say it's better to be safe than sorry.

"We might get a good sized wind storm I think or a some rain, but I don't think it will be like it is on the coast," said Nowakowski.

"I have enough food and water stored and i have a heat source if the power goes out," said Bergstrom.

In case the power goes out, officials are urging you to keep your refrigerator and freezer doors shut to keep the food from going bad.

And to turn off major appliances to prevent damage from a possible surge if the power comes back on.

Also, use flashlights instead of candles as it can pose as a fire hazard.

If you haven't done so already, officials say to turn your refrigerator to the maximum cold. So, if the power goes out, you can buy some time that way, so the food does not spoil as quickly.