Locals travel ahead of storm to help

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va ( WAVY) - A non-profit disaster relief organization headquartered in Hampton Roads has already sent volunteers to Haiti and and more volunteers will be headed to Florida this weekend.

10 On Your Side spoke with Operation Blessing International President Bill Horan, who is in Haiti, by phone.

"The water is what is going to kill people," Horan said. "The water, the flooding, the cholera [will] spread."

Horan said volunteers are working overtime alert citizens of impending danger.

"We have our team with megaphones going through some of the tent camps sounding the alarm," Horan said. "You'd be amazed how many people are not aware that this storm is coming."

Back in Hampton Roads, Jody Herrington-Gettys is amazed at how many people are aware of hurricanes and do not prepare.

"We see it day in and day out," Herrington-Gettys said.

Herrington-Gettys is Operation Blessings' U.S. Disaster Relief Director. The group collect food and rebuilding supplies all year long. Herrington-Gettys encourages Hampton Roads residents to prepare with three days of food and water and an evacuation plan ahead of a storm.

The group is preparing to leave for Florida on Sunday. They hunker down in a safe place just outside where the storm is predicted to hit so they can move in fast with help.