Our hearts go out to residents in the areas ravaged by Hurricane Helene.

The storm roared ashore late Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds. A weakened Helene quickly moved through Georgia, then soaked the Carolinas and Tennessee with torrential rains that flooded creeks and rivers and strained dams.

The death toll as of Sunday night was at 91 and expected to rise.

There have been hundreds of water rescues and more than 2 million homeowners were still without power Sunday night.

The storm unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina. The stories of rescues and the wait for supplies are heartbreaking.

Let this be a wake-up call that it could happen here.

An example was Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which caused extensive damage in the Northeast, with flooding and damaging winds.

According to the ReadyPA.gov website, the top four emergencies that are most likely to happen here, in order, are flood, fire, winter storms, severe storms.

We need to be ready for anything, said Maryellen J. Keegan, director of the Monroe County Office of Emergency Management.

We’ve got the snowstorm prep down — bread, eggs and milk. But milk and eggs aren’t going to last in a prolonged power outage.

Keegan and the ReadyPA.gov suggest a go-bag filled with things you need to go to a shelter.

She suggests filling a bag gradually. People should have enough for 72 hours without electricity or away from home. Planning “takes the stress level off you,” she said.

You’ve waited in line for eggs and bread before a snowstorm. Imagine scurrying for a flashlight and bottled water.

And that’s if you have enough warning.

Keegan suggested buying an extra bottle of water one week, a flashlight the next and batteries the next.

Gradual buys are a way to ease in the expense. “Money is tight for some people,” Keegan said.

The ReadyPa website has good advice for preparation. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Cash — You won’t always have access to an ATM machine.

Water — People should plan on 1 gallon of bottled water per person per day. That sounds excessive, but Keegan said that isn’t much if you consider basic cleaning needs, brushing your teeth and drinking needs.

That gallon rule is the same for pets.

Keegan said her office works with the Red Cross to make space in the shelters for pets. Pack a bag for the pet, with food, an extra leash or special toy. If the pet is separated from you in a shelter, that toy might be comforting.

Medicine — Keep extra prescription medicines on hand. “Pharmacies might not be able to open or you might have to go to a different pharmacy to get your prescription filled,” Keegan said.

Food — Include nonperishables such as canned meat, soup or peanut butter.

A bit of advice: Keegan suggested packing food you like. “If you’re not going to eat it on a good day, you certainly wouldn’t want to eat it on a bad day.”

Invest in external power packs to charge the cellphone.

But that can’t be your only communication.

In Asheville, North Carolina, there was no cellular service and no timeline for restoration as of Saturday night.

A radio might be the only way you can get news. Be sure to select one with SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) to get National Weather Service updates.

Make copies of your driver’s license, passport and homeowners insurance and put on a flash drive. “You might need to prove you are who you say you are,” Keegan said.

Other things to consider: a pocket knife, duct tape, extra clothes.

Since the major danger in Pennsylvania is flooding, Keegan recommended checking in to flood insurance. If you know the cost, you can determine if you can afford it.

While we are rallying to help folks in the south, don’t wait to prepare for disasters here.

“Too often people wish they would have prepared,” Keegan said.

MARTA GOUGER | MGOUGER@TNONLINE.COM