Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (NC-03) today urged Eastern North Carolina residents to prepare for Tropical Storm Hanna, which is forecasted to reach the North Carolina coast early this weekend.

“With Hanna’s approach, residents in Eastern North Carolina should be taking steps to prepare for a tropical storm or hurricane,” Congressman Jones said. “By having a plan in place and taking the proper precautions ahead of the storm, coastal residents can ensure that their families remain safe.”

Below are suggestions for steps you can take to prepare for the upcoming storm:

Prepare a Kit / "To-Go Bag"

-Get an emergency supply kit, which includes items like non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car.

Prepare your family

- Make a family emergency plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.

- Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood;

- It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.

Prepare Your Home

- Cover all of your home's windows with pre-cut ply wood or hurricane shutters to protect your windows from high winds.

- Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.

- Keep all trees and shrubs well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.

- Secure your home by closing shutters, and securing outdoor objects or bringing them inside.

- Turn off utilities as instructed. Or, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.

- Turn off propane tanks.

- Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other large containers with water.

For further tips on hurricane preparedness from the Department of Homeland Security, please visit: http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html.