Red Cross urges South Carolinians to build emergency kits

As Ian draws near, the Red Cross says they are prepared to open shelters to ensure people have a safe place to ride out the storm.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – As Ian draws near, the Red Cross says they are prepared to open shelters to ensure people have a safe place to ride out the storm.

“We really don’t know what the impacts are going to be in South Carolina. We’d rather be underprepared than overprepared so we advise everybody to have a kit, have a plan,” says Red Cross Executive Director Rebecca Jordan.

Jordan warns if you do not have an emergency kit then you need to get one today. She says it should include a gallon of water per person in the family, non-perishable food, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit, and medications.

“In case we need to open shelters, we already have those pre-supplied. Our trailers are full of water and snacks and supplies so everything that people would need for evacuation to a shelter will be there for them,” says Jordan. 

Jordan also urges families to have an evacuation plan and to stay informed.  She says if you’re told to evacuate then do so right away.

“Just hearing people say ‘I’m just going to ride it out’ and then they’re in a situation where now they’re calling for rescue and it’s unfair to put our emergency responders through that. They’re already dealing with enough and then to have to go in and rescue people that should have heeded the advice and evacuated.”

Tough lessons came from the previous storms in South Carolina and one being they’re unpredictable. “I think a lot of times people think a hurricane is not going to impact the middle of the state but we’ve seen. I know a lot of people weren’t here for Hugo but Hugo was a big impact in the middle of the state even in 2015, the floods were caused by a tropical storm that sat and dumped a lot of rain over the state,” says Jordan.