Big Island and Maui officials are taking no chances as they prepare for Monday's expected arrival of Hurricane Felicia.

Felicia has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm and is expected to continue weakening before it reaches the islands. Nevertheless, forecasters warn that the storm could still bring heavy rains, high surf and flash flooding.

Precautions were being taken statewide, but the pace had picked up on the Big Island, which is expected to be the first to feel Felicia's effects.

Working in conjunction with state and federal counterparts, Hawai'i County officials dispatched crews to clear culverts and drainage systems in anticipation of heavy rainfall and high surf generated by the hurricane.

The county also shut down its Parks and Recreation Department and has stopped issuing permits through Wednesday for public parks along the eastern shore, from Laupahoehoe Point Park to Whittington Beach Park, as well as Ho'okena Beach Park.

"We want to minimize our first responders having to go out unnecessarily, especially with 10- to 15-foot surf expected on the east-facing shores," said Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi.

Kenoi said the Emergency Operations Center has also made plans to accommodate special-needs populations and to establish pet-friendly shelters if necessary.

Officials will monitor Felicia's progress and likely make a decision on whether to close schools and government offices by this afternoon or evening.

The county is advising residents to compile a hurricane-preparedness kit if they have not done so already, and to avoid going outside tomorrow and Tuesday.

"People should just remain calm and stay confident in our civil defense," Kenoi said. "Look out for each other. If you know someone with special needs or a vulnerable population, reach out and help if you can.

"We're one island and one community. We have to take care of one another."

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares said Maui County departments also have been working diligently to prepare for the storm.

"We have been staging equipment, assessing problem areas, putting employees on call and coordinating with state and federal agencies, as well as with community support organizations like the Red Cross to prepare for this potential triple-threat of heavy rain, strong winds and high surf," Tavares said.

"We have been doing all that we can to be ready to respond to the expected storm conditions, and have been encouraging families and businesses to prepare themselves as well.

"While the hurricane is expected to be downgraded by the time it reaches our county, even a tropical storm can be dangerous, and I am mindful of the destruction that Maui experienced in December 2007 with similar triple-threat conditions."

STOCKING UP

Meanwhile, Red Cross staff and volunteers on all islands were working through the weekend to prepare for the storm. Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers throughout the state are on standby to open shelters, provide feeding, conduct disaster assessment, deliver health and mental health services and handle myriad logistics in anticipation of the storm, said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO of the American Red Cross, Hawai'i State Chapter.

As the weekend got under way Friday on the Big Island, people in Hilo were preparing for Felicia's possible arrival.

At the downtown Sack 'n' Save, a portion of the shelf space devoted to toilet paper was conspicuously empty, evidence of brisk sales. Toilet paper was on sale, as were Spam, 20-pound bags of rice and Dasani bottled water — at the same case price as the downtown KTA Super Store. There were ample supplies of all those commodities.

Bob Sumner-Mack of Pi'ihonua bought a gas camp stove and a 20-pound cylinder of propane at Hilo Ace Hardware.

"I came down here to buy a stove and propane to fulfill my requirements for the 'hurricane preparedness kit,' " he said, adding that he was prompted to do so by his wife.

"My wife is in a water aerobics class with a bunch of other women," he said. "They all have their hurricane kits. My wife said, 'These women are all prepared, but we're not.' "

Cy Takahama, an Ace Hardware supervisor, said there has been a steady stream of customers stocking up to weather a possible storm. He said propane, tarps and batteries of all sizes are in demand.

"We've got a lot stocked," he said.