At Sam's Club in Metairie, there were far more shoppers than on a normal Wednesday, with water and hurricane supplies hot commodities. Long lines of cars waited to buy gas, as residents nervously wondered where Gustav will go.

"A little worried that it’s coming,” said Metairie resident Ellen McCubbin.

 "People and businesses, don't forget businesses should be going through their plans right now,” said Jefferson Homeland Security director Deano Bonano. “Where are they going, what are they going to bring, what medications do they need, what are you going to do with your pets."

Jefferson leaders don't want residents to panic, just prepared. If Gustave continues to be a threat, parish preparations could begin tomorrow morning.

"Run generators, fuel generators, test the safe rooms, we will actually begin to move supplies into our central duty locations, said Bonano.

If Gustav becomes a major hurricane, and comes ashore just west of the city, Bonano says his chief worry would be flooding on the Westbank, so he wants residents to be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

"Our biggest concern is going to be the Harvey Canal and those levee systems on the West Bank,” said Bonano. “Because those upgrades to the levee systems are not completed yet."

In a major storm going east of the city, East bank lakefront levees have been beefed up since Katrina, and there are plans to prevent flooding at Airline Highway if the 17th street canal fills up.

"Jefferson parish will close Airline Highway and Build a levee across it in a Category Three or higher storm,” Bonano said.

Jefferson Parish leaders say as many as 13,000 people may not have transportation if an evacuation is called. Only about 2000 have registered so far, so they are expecting a lot of last minute calls, but say they'll be prepared to help those who need it.

"All of our public transportation busses would run rotes, and only pick up people who want to be evacuated, and bring them to the Yenni Building or the Alario Center,” Bonano continued. “You'll be processed and put on state chartered busses and brought to safe shelters throughout Louisiana."

Already the Elmwood Home Depot has had to re-stock plywood, gas cans, and generators, with larger crowds expected tomorrow throughout the area.

"We're trying to definitely beat the crowd, obviously we haven't. We're going to try and get out of here as soon as we can if it is even headed at us,” said Metairie resident A.J. Avants.