Brunswick County residents prepare for Tropical Storm Idalia

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick County is the state’s fastest-growing county in the state and its right on the coast where thousands of people live.

With Tropical Storm Idalia approaching, officials said they’re prepared for whatever it brings Wednesday evening.

In Southport, businesses and homes along Bay Street put down sandbags and boarded up windows to keep out wind and water.

Communal furniture along the waterfront like swings and tables have been anchored down, and even small trees have been tethered.

Mary Galligan is a Southport resident.

She said she’s learned from previous storms that she’s been through.

“We moved down here right before Florence and Florence hit us pretty heavily at our home,” Galligan said. “Some doors blew off and we had a lot of flooding. So now we have some hurricane shutters that we put up for the storm and those are up and we’ve cleared out everything in the yard because we’ll certainly be prepared this time.”

Over in Sunset Beach, residents like Donald Franchino are also beginning to batten down the hatches.

Franchino said it’s dangerous to not take Idalia or any other storm seriously.

“On the coast, you should always be prepared,” Franchino said. “Because you never know alright, how a storm can redevelop, alright. And that you can’t get instantaneously on the news that, all of a sudden, the storm is regenerating itself because the water here is just as warm as it is in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Emergency management officials are also reminding anyone with outdoor furniture or flags to make sure to bring them in as high winds can pick them up and damage homes.