Hurricane season is definitely upon us as is evidenced by the season's first tropical storm spinning in the Gulf of Mexico bringing wind and rain to South Alabama.

This should be a wake-up call to everyone that getting prepared for the worst is job one, especially given the events just nine months ago when Hurricane Ivan slammed the county causing widespread damage and power outages.

While Tropical Storm Arlene isn't packing the punch of Ivan, she's a sobering reminder of what can potentially happen again in our county. Residents need to pull out their emergency plan, or create one if they don't have one, so they will be better prepared should a disaster of any nature head our way.

As we saw with Ivan, there is no doubt in our minds that this community can survive a direct hit and come out of it with a better sense of self, and we're sure we've all learned a little more about ourselves, and our community, through the storms of 2004 and the recent straight line winds that hit south Butler County.

The main thing is to be vigilant and be sure you and your family and loved ones talk about what your plans are should a storm the magnitude of an Ivan come our way.

So this weekend, keep your eye on the skies and a level head.

Listen to the forecasters and don't wait until the last moment to do something. Having that attitude last year most likely saved some lives in Butler County and if it worked once, it will work again.

It's always better to plan for the worst and hope for the best, that way you're never disappointed in the outcome of anything.