Now that hurricane season is finally here, and we’ve got a good sized storm headed our way on Thursday evening, it might be a good idea to run over some basic storm prep.

When Fran hit Raleigh in 1996, many folks were unprepared for the blocked roads and 3-5 day power outages. There are a lot of simple things you can do to prepare for a big storm. You’ve got about three days to prepare!

• Make sure you have all of your prescriptions filled.
• Fill your car(s) with gas.
• Charge your cell phones.
• Get some cash from the ATM.
• Make sure you have a portable radio and flashlights.

Go to the grocery store, and make sure you have the following:

• Fresh batteries for your flashlights and portable radio.
• Water – at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 5 days. (depending on how far from town you live). Don’t forget pets!
• Food – non-refrigerated/frozen, at least enough for 3 to 5 days.
• Non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices.
• Foods for infants or the elderly.
• Non-electric can opener.
• Propane/charcoal for the grill
• Paper plates / plastic utensils / trash bags
• Pet food/litter.

There are a lot more things you can do, depending on your level of comfort/crazy, but those things cover the most of it. For way more info, you can go to the national Hurricane Center disaster prep website.

Stay safe y’all!