Duke Energy and American Red Cross prepare for storm in the Carolinas

FOR THE PUBLIC BACK ON THE GROUND. IN WASHINGTON. AS IAN MAKES ITS WAY TO THE UPSTATE DUKE ENERGY URGES YOU TO PREPARE FOR THE IMPACTS. . WHETHER IT’S UTILITY CREWS OR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS CREWS ARE PREPARED TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS EMERGENCY LOADED WITH NECESSITIES IF THE STORM HITS HERE. Reporter: YOU CAN FEEL IT. IT’S A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENT. WE’RE GOING TO SEE LOT OF RAIN. WE’RE GOING TO SOME WIND. IT’S ALL SIGNS OF IAN BREWING IN THE UPSTATE. IT’S HEADING OUR WAY SOON. BRIAN MOSER SAID MORE THAN 5,000 RESPONDERS ARE

STAGED ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. ALL THAT CAN BRING DAMAGE TO POWER INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAUSE CUSTOMERS TO BE IN THE DARK. ADDITIONALLY THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IN THE UPSTATE IS ALSO IN PREPAREDNESS MODE. WE HAVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLE THAT IS STOCKED WITH SUPPLIES AND WATER. IF NEEDED WE CAN SUPPLY FOOD. IF THERE’S A LARGE COMMUNITY LEVEL SITUATION THAT OCCURS WE CAN DRIVE THEM OUT. AS BOTH GROUPS GET READY, THEY WANT YOU TO DO THE SAME. THEY HAVE MEDICATION, WATER, BLANKET, AN EMERGENCY RADIO, FLASHLIGHTS, FIRST AID KIT, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU

WILL NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH AT LEAST THREE DAYS. POWER, SOURCE FOR YOUR PHONES. IF YOUR POWER GOES OUT. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T USE CANDLE. THEY ARE

SO SO DANGEROUS. DUKE ENERGY WANTS YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES AND ELECTRICAL WIRES. AND AVOID DRIVING THROUGH THOSE LINES OR FLOODED AREAS. THE STORMS CAN THROW CURVEBALLS AT YOU. IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS STAY INFORMED AND HAVE A KIT AND A PLAN READY TO GO. IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO HAVE A PLAN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR BUSINESS. TO SEE ALL OF THE TIPS AND HOW

YOU CAN REFUSE HELP. I’LL HAVE THOSE DETAILS ON WSPA.COM. 7NEWS. DUKE ENERGY WILL HAVE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON POWER OUTAGES INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF OUTAGES SYSTEMWIDE