As Hurricane Helene made landfall, Wawa announced that it was keeping stores open in affected areas as long as it remained safe to do so. “Due to impact from Hurricane Helene, we will have modified hours or closed some of our stores. When we do close some of our Florida stores, we will re-open and stock each location as quickly and safely possible,” the retailer said.

At its Florida stores, Wawa is providing free coffee and fountain beverages to all first responders, including the National Guard in Florida, “in appreciation for all they are doing to support and serve our communities during Hurricane response and recovery efforts.”

Wawa and The Wawa Foundation also partnered with the American Red Cross to provide tips and resources to prepare and recover from community disasters.

According to the latest updates, Hurricane Helene is expected to do up to $100 billion in damage across numerous states from Florida to Virginia.

Convenience stores are beacons in their communities, providing much-needed food and fuel to first responders and residents before, during, and after an emergency or disaster. Making sure that c-stores can be the last to close and the first to open in the face of a crisis requires planning ahead. Read more about this and resources that NACS offers in the September 2024 edition of NACS Magazine.