As Hurricane Idalia makes its way into the Atlantic Ocean, millions of people from Tampa Bay to the Carolina coast are assessing the damage – including promo firms.

Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane around 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 30, near Keaton Beach, FL, about 80 miles south of Tallahassee in the state’s Big Bend region. It was the first major storm to impact the area since Hurricane Easy in 1950, according to the National Hurricane Center. High winds felled trees, powerlines and billboards, and ripped roofs off homes, including in Steinhatchee and Perry, FL.

Hurricane Idalia ripped down trees and powerlines and caused historic flooding in Florida’s Big Bend area.

Ahead of landfall, cities as far south as Naples were warned of possible tornadoes as the outer bands of the storm swept over the southern part of Florida.

Officials had warned that once the winds died down, danger remained in the form of storm surge, even for those areas nowhere near the eye. Cedar Key, FL, about 90 miles south of Keaton Beach, was expected to experience about 10 feet of storm surge. Communities along the Gulf Coast are now cleaning up homes and businesses after several feet of water flooded roads and properties.

Rebecca Hunter, owner of Proforma Anchor Printing & Promotions (asi/491942) in Tallahassee, closed on Wednesday and planned to open for business on Thursday; the area experienced damage from high winds and flooding, but Hunter said her facility wasn’t impacted. “A lot of clean up will be needed here,” she said. “I’ll be spending most of Thursday checking in on my clients who were in the storm’s path.”

Storm surge also impacted Tampa Bay, which was spared a direct hit – Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125) in St. Petersburg operated a single work shift from late Tuesday through Wednesday morning. After the storm, the company reported no damage and reopened on midday Wednesday with 30% staffing due to flooded and damaged roads; they plan to work through Saturday to compensate. Meanwhile, Top 40 supplier Koozie Group (asi/40480) in Clearwater also experienced no damage and reopened fully on Wednesday afternoon and plans to work on the weekend. Both suppliers warned of varying freight transit times due to flooding.

“We’re all good here, thankfully,” said Candy Persechino, owner of Tampa-based Eye Candy Prints (asi/190741). “We’re just dealing with some flooding issues in different areas, but I was able to continue doing business lightly on Wednesday and plan to resume Thursday full force.”

Judie Glenn, president of Palm Harbor-based Judie Glenn, Inc. (asi/208275), is located about 20 miles north of St. Petersburg and just west across the bay from Tampa. “We had lots of flooding, but it could have been worse,” she said. “We were closed on Wednesday, but we’re up to full speed today. Everything was back to normal by Wednesday evening.”

As Idalia moved across the easternmost edge of the Florida Panhandle and into Georgia and the Carolina coast, residents were warned of high winds, possible tornadoes and flooding. Diana Morrison, owner of Advertising Specialty Services (asi/114343) in Savannah, GA, sent her team home to work remotely until the storm had passed. On Wednesday, only two staff members were without power.

“Savannah is known for dodging the hurricane bullet, and for the most part, we’ve done it again,” Morrison said. “A few smaller trees are down – older ones tend to fill with water and break, taking powerlines with them. We lost power and internet at our office Wednesday night, but it was back up Thursday morning.” She added that higher-than-normal winds on Wednesday left minimal debris in the streets, and she’s been keeping tabs on Florida suppliers, like Hit and Koozie Group.

“We’re praying for those in the Panhandle,” Morrison said. “It’s always heartbreaking when we see utility trucks from other states lining I-95 headed to Florida, though I’m grateful that they’re supporting each other in a time of need.”

Deb Karambelas, owner of Karambelas Enterprises (asi/239071) on Hilton Head, SC, said they stayed open all through the storm, working remotely on Wednesday and coming into the office on Thursday. The facility sustained no damage. “We’re here for our clients 24/7,” she said. “There aren’t any ‘snow days’ in the business world; customers will simply go elsewhere to buy, so we make sure they don’t have to do that.”

Karambelas said being prepared for storms is part of living on the coast, especially a low-lying island; she undertakes preventative maintenance on the building each year to trim trees and remove anything that could become a dangerous projectile in high winds. The water department maintains pond pumps all year round to mitigate flooding. “We evacuate if the storm is more than a Category 2 to prevent loss of life, but other than that, clean-up is just part of coastal living,” she said. “You have to keep everything well-insured and be comfortable with evacuating when necessary; otherwise, this life isn’t for you.”

In Morehead City, NC, just south of the Outer Banks, residents were mostly dealing with rainy conditions. “We’re fine here,” Sandra Silman, manager of Boardwalk Screenprinting & Embroidery (asi/142237), said on Thursday morning. “It’s a little windy and wet, but otherwise we’re OK. We’re conducting business as usual.”