As Hurricane Henri approaches the region, many people in the Hudson Valley are preparing to batten down the hatches.

Rita Madore has spent years working at Ace Hardware in Mohegan Lake. She says that many people were at the location to buy supplies ahead of the storm.

“I’m so used to climbing shelves, it’s not funny,” she says. “People are buying tarps, batteries, lanterns, gas cans, extension cords – anything they can think of.”

But Madore says that the item with the biggest demand has been generators. By the afternoon, there were only a few left.

“We did get a shipment in and they’ve just been flying out the door,” she says.

Brendan Kurtis owns a handyman business. His company often cleans up after blizzards and storms.

“I just picked up a new saw just in case,” he says.

He says that must-have items for surviving a storm include generators, gas, flashlights and food that doesn’t need to be cooked on an electric stove.

Tom Stein says that this is why he is searching for propane for his grill. If the power goes out, he wants to be ready.

Madore says that it is best for everyone to stay calm.

“Basically, don’t panic. Because the biggest mistakes are made when you begin to panic,” she says.