TERREBONNE PARISH, La. — The orders are coming in at Pizza Express in Chauvin, where owner Dirk Guidry is keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Ida.
"This is not a storm to play with," said Guidry.
The last time a storm flooded his business was in 2008 when Hurricane Ike put 18 inches of water inside.
"It came up to here but it settled down to right here," said Guidry as he pointed to a bottom of a door inside the restaurant.
It took 21 days to get back in business. He's hoping not to go through that again as Ida is expected to strengthen.
"Even a minute tropical storm worries you because you never know what these storms will do," said Guidry.
In addition to his business, Guidry is also the District Eight Councilman in Terrebonne Parish. Guidry said the parish's levee systems have dramatically improved over the last ten years.
"Now I'm not worrying so much about water, I'm worrying about wind," said Guidry.
Guidry says smaller floodgates are already being closed and bigger ones will follow. The concern now, is people.
"My advice to anybody is if you live in the lower-lying areas or you live in a mobile home, make plans now to get out of here because it's not safe," said Guidry.
Just across the parish line, Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson has a similar message. He says areas outside the levee protection system are too vulnerable for an intense storm.
"I would fully anticipate over the next, probably 24 hours you start to see the evacuation orders for us especially in those low-lying areas," said Chaisson.
Chaisson expects parish-wide impacts to begin late Saturday and says 13 sandbag sites will open at noon Friday to help folks protect their property.
"The biggest question for us is going to be storm surge and intensity of the storm," said Chaisson.
Back in Terrebonne, boats make their way up the bayou outside Pizza Express. After a long stretch of no major storms hitting the area, Guidry wonders when luck will run out. Given all the drills last hurricane season, he hopes folks are prepared.
"We've practiced enough. I think this might be the real McCoy right here on this one," said Guidry.