Prepare now to avoid long lines, shortages in a hurricane

Hurricane season is here.

To motivate Virginians to prepare for the season's start today, the state waived the 5 percent state and local sales tax on emergency essentials, such as water, batteries and portable generators, for the past week.

Some shoppers took the bait, but local merchants said business was steady or slow last week, similar to the May 2008 tax holiday.

"The urgency isn't quite there yet," said Matt Francis, a manager at The Home Depot on North Military Highway in Norfolk. "Unfortunately, around here the consumers usually kind of wait until the last minute, until there's a hurricane on the way."

Customers used the tax incentive to purchase bottles of water, flashlights and batteries at the Taylor's Do It Center on Independence Boulevard in Virginia Beach, said manager Bryan Burris.

"Sales have been pretty steady... but nothing crazy," he said. "They haven't been tracing an active hurricane yet. I imagine when that happens, our sales will go up."

But officials don't want people waiting until the last minute, when stores can sell out of vital goods.

"Now is a good time to start thinking about what you will need if one of these devastating storms affects Virginia," Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said in a news release.

Since 2003, storms have claimed 49 lives and caused $2 billion in damage statewide, according to the release. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Hurricane Camille, which left more than 100 people dead in Virginia and caused more than $1.4 billion in damage nationwide.

Forecasters are predicting a normal hurricane season, with four to seven hurricanes - one to three of which are likely to be major storms.

State officials say there are some simple things people can do to prepare for a hurricane or flooding from heavy rains.

• Have enough canned and prepackaged food to last for three days. Have enough for each family member.
• Have a supply of water that will last the family for three days. Don't forget water for pets.
• Get a working, battery-powered radio and extra batteries.
• Make a written family plan in case of an emergency. It should include what the family will do and where it will go.

The state has found that people are better prepared when they have their plan in writing, said Laura Southard, the public outreach coordinator for the Department of Emergency Management.

There's something else people can do to prepare, Southard said: Check the state's storm surge maps. It might alleviate some anxiety.

"Should there be a need for an evacuation, not everybody would have to evacuate," Southard said. "If people do a little bit of personal work to figure out where they're located and figure out whether they're likely to be affected based on the strength of the storm, then that makes them much better prepared."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kathy Adams, (757) 222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com

Patrick Wilson, (757) 446-2957, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com