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Barring a very unlikely, last-minute change of plans, it appears that our area has missed the worst of Hurricane Elsa. The National Hurricane Center projects the storm to move east, up Florida and down the coast.

Places like Savannah and Jacksonville, Florida are in the storm’s path, but LaGrange is well to the west. It could set up a rainy week here, but that’s much better than having to deal with tropical storm winds.

Elsa is the earliest named “E” storm on record, meaning it might be a very active hurricane season (again.)

We’ve written before, and we’ll say it again — aside from a major hurricane such as Hurricane Opal in the 90s — it’s fairly unlikely that a storm of hurricane strength will reach us so far inland. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be prepared for emergencies, whether that’s severe weather, fires or something else.

We’re thankful that we don’t need a plan for Elsa, but the number of storms at this point in the season should be an eye-opener. Take a few minutes and talk to your family about what you’d do if a major storm was heading this way.

What do you do if Troup County goes under a tornado warning? You should go to a place in the center of your house away from doors and windows, but you need to identify that place so everyone knows where it is.

What would you do if there’s a fire at your home? Is there an escape plan for every bedroom? Is there a meeting place outside your home where everyone can be accounted for?

There should be.

If not, make a plan today. Troup County also has an emergency alert notification system on its website, which helps notify you in case there is bad weather on the way.

Because even though Elsa isn’t going to impact our area, severe weather will strike again one day.