Red Cross chapters from all over the United States are watching the Gulf Coast and making sure they're ready for Laura's effect on those that live in the region.
In the Brazos Valley, the Heart of Texas chapter has every scenario in mind.
Times like these are what the Red Cross trains for, and volunteers from the Brazos Valley are ready to respond to storms in the Gulf Coast and educate the community about how to prepare.
With that education comes reminding locals to have battery or solar powered chargers, generators and emergency contacts on paper in case their homes are affected by storms like Laura.
Then, when the Heart of Texas chapter responds to disasters they work with our community partners.
With COVID-19, that now includes the Brazos County Health District and their usual partners like the United Way and local hotels to provide shelter if needed.
What about evacuees, though?
“Point to point means that we have an agreement with a city or town on the Gulf coast to provide sheltering for their community," said AJ Reynold, the chapter's executive director, "So Bryan-College Station is not a point to point location but San Antonio is and Austin is.”
Reynold said that is because cities like those have more hotels and large arenas for evacuee shelters, but housing excess evacuees will always be a possibility for Bryan College Station.
“Should we have to open a shelter due to evacuees, we’ll do so but there is a protocol. We work with the county and the cities and try to help everyone and we’ll provide everything, but it’s got to be in conjunction with emergency management."
Overall, Reynold just hopes families everywhere prepare for whatever may come.
The Red Cross' Heart of Texas chapter says they have volunteers here that are ready to go to the coast.
For now, they are keeping their eye on the area before they make that decision.