MARTINSVILLE, Va. – With Hurricane Irma threatening Florida and Hurricane Harvey still fresh on everyone's mind, emergency management agencies are reminding people to always be prepared.
September is national preparedness month.
Martinsville Emergency Management coordinator John Turner said a good rule of thumb is to remember the phrase "get through 72."
Meaning, make sure you have enough food, water and other supplies to last you for at least the first 72 hours after a disaster.
"There is a possibility that if we have enough trees down and roads are flooded, we may not be able to get to you within the first 24 hours," Turner emphasized. "You may have to be in your home for up to 72 hours, but we will try our best to get to you as soon as possible."
He added that when a hurricanes develop, the emergency management department will begin having weather briefings and try to get an idea of how much rain the area may see and when that rain may come.