CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. -- As Florence is churning in the Atlantic, people on the coast should prepare for the storm.

  • Officials say if a storm hits, people should be able to sustain for at least 72 hours
  • Make sure you have enough water and food
  • If you are heading to the beach, be on the lookout for updates

However, a beautiful day at the beach has some people less concerned.

"Well I'm not too worried about it because I've been through some storms already,​" said Rebecca Smith, a long time local resident.

RELATED: Gov. Cooper declares State of Emergency ahead of Florence

She says she has her preparedness routine down, and is going to stock up on supplies when she leaves the beach. Her neighbors, who are new to the area, have a different reality.

"I'm in a community with a lot of people who moved here recently. It's a new community," said Smith. "So they're coming from all over the United States, so most of them haven't really even been through a hurricane, so they're very concerned."

 

 

While there aren't many signs of bad weather yet, one sign that is on the beach is the red rip current flag. The flag means, "dangerous no swimming" as moderate to severe rip currents are one of the effects of Florence.

RELATED: Florence: What you need to prepare

New Hanover County EMS Director Steven Still says conditions for the weather and water are probably just going to get worse, that's why it's important to use this weekend to prepare.

"First and foremost, making sure you have the water, the food, the medications," said Still. "And, if you have children, you have the ability to entertain them, provided you have a prolonged power outages."

Still says in the event the storm hits, people should be able to sustain for at least 72 hours without outside resources. 

"When a storm hits, and our emergency services become stacked. You know, we're prioritizing our calls, and so it may be some time before we can get to you in the event you need us," said Still.

He says if people are going to the beach this weekend to be caution and on the lookout for updates with Florence. ​

Get the latest news, sports and weather delivered straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts.