Hurricane Hilary is gaining strength and getting closer. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain in a short amount of time and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. The eye of the storm was just off the coast of Baja Friday, so preparations were in full swing in Imperial Beach on Friday. San Diego's South Bay Businesses were boarding up storefronts, just feet away from the sand, and other residents stopped by city hall to get sandbags. Imperial Beach is prone to flooding and Dottie Kouza who owns a little boutique hotel in IB has seen it happen. "We have some chairs in the front, we fold them down and tie them up. I personally am going to stay in the office, to make sure nothing happens," Kouza said. Imperial Beach City Hall and the San Ysidro Community Activity Center are providing sandbags for free. MORE: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/san-diego-south-bay-residents-prepare-for-hilary/509-bf0feb26-04c3-4617-8670-e2ff5f4aeb3a