American Red Cross of Eastern NC volunteers ready as Tropical Storm Ian moves towards U.S.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- American Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina are signing up to help those in need before Tropical Storm Ian makes landfall in the United States.

Florida is already preparing for the worst. Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the entire state.

Red Cross workers from the Triangle are standing by to head to Florida.

"We're only going to send a certain number of volunteers forward, on the first level, from the viewing area. Because we are concerned we may need to do some mass care relief efforts, sheltering, loss of power, things of that nature might happen in our area," Barry Porter said with Red Cross.

They are also staying mindful to potential problems here at home if powerful winds and intense rain cause damage in our area.

"We've got to think forward, and also plan in reverse to make sure we keep our own community safe," he said.

The Sandhills Region Red Cross Executive Director is preparing to deploy to Florida on Tuesday.

Duke Energy said their crews are preparing also, "The storm could impact our Florida service area. But as it comes inland, it could also come to the Carolinas . So that's something we're watching very closely. We're not gonna release crews from the Carolinas to Florida to assist until we're absolutely sure it's not gonna impact our home territory," Jeff Brooks said, of Duke Energy.

"Right now is a good chance to revisit your storm preparedness plan. Make sure that you do know what you would do if a storm came here and you lost power, especially if you rely on electricity for medical needs. We can't prioritize medical customers during a major hurricane because of the scale of damage. So we always encourage people to have a plan in place for where you might relocate," he said.