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Virginia makes emergency preparations as Sandy nears

Posted at 1:27 PM, Oct 28, 2012
and last updated 2012-10-28 13:33:14-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - The Virginia Emergency Operations Center is already up and running as Hurricane Sandy nears the Commonwealth.

In fact, CBS 6 News' Wayne Covil said early Sunday morning that 20 people were already inside working on storm preparations. Covil said that eventually there will be anywhere from 100 to 150 personnel coordinating the state's emergency storm response. That involves agencies like Virginia State Police, VDOT and the National Guard.

Localities around the area heave been gearing up and telling residents to make getting prepared for the "Frankenstorm" a top priority.

As a result, many stores are sold out of many of the basic supplies. 

The storm danger is real. As heavy rains fall, many trees will likely be uprooted because of the soggy ground. High winds could also snap branches and limbs, causing downed trees. That will lead to power outages.

Officials said people should be prepared with at least three days worth of food and water. (Be sure Make sure the food is non-perishable.) It's best to figure on about one gallon of water per person, per day. 

Many localities have declared their own local state of emergencies ahead of the storm. 

Additionally, power crews are already heading to much of the East Coast from other parts of the country. For example, the Prince George Electric Co-op already has 15 crews from Alabama headed to the area.