Coastal Residents Prepare for Earl

By Roderick McClain

09-02-10 – With North Carolina in a state of emergency for Hurricane Earl, coastal residents are heading to hardware stores to pick up the essentials.

Before a storm hits, the National Hurricane Center advises coastal residents to have a full tank of gas, cash on hand, and an evacuation bag filled with emergency supplies.

Joey Stevens of Stevens' Hardware in Wilmington says his customers are gathering items for repairing shingles and tying down loose outdoor objects.

"They're coming in to get anything that might help them in a time of need batteries, lamp oil, all your basic supplies, tarps, roofing cement, things like that for emergency repairs."

Stevens says it's mostly been senior citizens diligently preparing for the storm over the last few days.

Visit the National Hurricane Center for hurricane preparation tips.