SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – It was the calm before Tropical Storm Dorian on Tuesday in Puerto Rico as few tourists were on the beach while some said they already had plans to leave.
"I'm getting a lot of calls and text messages from home, so I think they're more concerned than we are right now," one woman said.
One hotel worker in San Juan told Local 10 News that Hurricane Maria left its mark on the island and he knows to prepare.
He said he's getting fuel ready for the building's generator in case they lose power.
"If something happens, we're ready," he said.
Down the road at a gas station there were no lines yet Tuesday morning, and an employee said they had plenty of fuel.
But it was busier than usual at a local grocery store as residents stocked up on water and other essentials.
"We're ready. Thankfully, we learned a lot from Maria," one customer said.
In the historic la Perla neighborhood, where some residents said aid after Maria was slow to arrive, they're doing what they can to shore things up for themselves.
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz said at a news conference that four shelters will open Tuesday in the capital ahead of the storm's arrival. She said more shelters will open if needed.
"It's scary," she said. "I have to tell you, we all have -- If we didn't know it, we all have PTSD."
Yulin Cruz said the island is more prepared this hurricane season.