ST. LOUIS – Emergency response crews across the area are preparing for the potentially severe weather. As the potential for severe weather is possible into the lunchtime hours. It’s important to have a plan in place.

Crews with the American Red Cross have been getting emergency supplies ready. They suggest you do the same too.

Prepare a basic emergency kit with supplies that can last you and each member of your family for up to three days. Think things like gallons of water, non-perishable foods, prescription medications, and first aid kids.

If you’re in a car, officials say if you can drive away from a tornado, do so. On average, tornadoes move from one location to another at 35 to 45 miles per hour – so driving away is safest.

If you can’t abandon your vehicle, seek shelter in a nearby sturdy building. If that’s not an option, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services suggests staying in your car with your seatbelt buckled, leaning down to get below the windows, or abandon your car for a culvert, ditch or low spot.

Meantime, MoDOT and IDOT crews have been clearing drains. Utility companies like Ameren are keeping an eye on the weather too. They shared that crews are ready to work on restoring power if any of their customers experience an outage.

Volunteers with the Red Cross are also on standby. They explained that people to have a safe place to go if there’s a tornado and to stay away from windows during a storm.

“Our teams here at the American Red Cross have been mobilizing for the last several days making sure that we have workforce on call as needed to be able to respond to anything that may happen in the next 24 hours or at any time regarding severe weather,” Beth Elders, with the American Red Cross Greater St. Louis said.

Ameren customers can sign up for outage alerts to track restoration times. Just login to your account to enroll in text or email alerts.