MEMA Director talks preparations for storms

With Marco being upgraded to a category one hurricane, and Laura preparing to enter the gulf, MEMA Director Greg Michel had a message to Mississippians today on what to expect from the storms for the week ahead.

"DO NOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED.ONCE A STORM GETS IN THEGULF...EITHER ONE OF THESESTORCOULD MAKE SOME CHANGES MEMADIRECTOR GREG MICHEL TELLINGMISSISSIPPIANS TO BE PREPARED,AS TWOSTORMS CHURN THEIR WAY THROUGHTHE GUOF MEXICO TOWARD THE REGION...WE HAD AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN OURTROPICAL STORM MARCO WHICH ISNOW NOW HURRICANE MARCO...UM, ITACTUALLY MADE ANABRUPT CHANGE OF DIRECTION TOTHE EASTMICHEL SAYS THAT CHANGE SHORTENSTHEDISTANCE THE STORM WILL TRAVELIN THE GULF,AS IT'S EXPECTED TO MAKELANDFALLSOMEWHERE ALONG THE EASTERNLOUISIANACOAST...THAT WOULD PUT MISSISSIPPI ONTHEEASTERN SIDE OF THE STORM ONMONDAYEVENING...LEAVING US OPEN TOSOME STRONGWINDS AND RAIN, AND POTENTIALSTORSURGE IN HANCOCK AND HARRISONCOUNTIES..HANCOCK COUNTY CURRENTLY ARE THEONLY AREAS WE'RE LOOKING ATMAKING SOME MANDATOYEVACUATIONSAS FOR TROPCIAL STORM LAURA,DIRECTER MICHELSAYS IT WILL BECOME HURRICANESTRENGTHWHEN IT HITS THE GULF TUESDAYMORNING.CURRENTLY THAT STORM DOES NOTPOSE A MAJOR THREAT UH TOMISSISSIPPI, BUT IT IS IMPORTANTTOUNDERSTAND MUCH LIKE MARCO DIDWHEN IT ENTERED THE GULFOF MEXICO, WE DID SEE A CHANGEINTHE TRACK POWER COMPANIES IN MISSISSIPPIARE PREPAR