Sales tax holiday for emergency supplies starts Friday

Ben Nunnally, The Anniston Star, Ala.
·3 min read

Feb. 25—Alabama Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday

No sales tax will be charged on severe weather preparedness supplies Friday through Sunday. Participating locales include Anniston, Jacksonville, Weaver, Ohatchee and Calhoun County. Oxford is not participating this year. Attempts to reach Piedmont were unsuccessful. A full list of participating municipalities and counties in the state is available at the Alabama Department of Revenue website.

Categories of tax-exempt items include:

Flashlights, lanterns

Battery-powered or hand-crank radios

Batteries

First-aid kits

Cell phone chargers

Two-way radios

Manual can openers

Tarps and plastic sheeting

Duct tape

Fire extinguishers

Tie-down kits, bungee cords or rope

Coolers and ice packs

Plywood and window film

Smoke/fire/carbon monoxide detectors

Source: Alabama Retail Association

The first step in managing a severe storm is making sure that one's home is safe, said Myles Chamblee, acting director at the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency.

Each time the forecast shows a bleak outlook — tornadoes, high winds, softball-sized hail — staff at the EMA get ready to go to work at the agency's operations center in Jacksonville. Before they leave home, they make sure their families are equipped with everything they'll need if the situation goes sideways: charged smartphones, flashlight batteries, weather radios and basics like water and helmets in case of debris and damage to their homes.

"We of course are not going to be there with them, so having supplies and having everything prepared gives us some peace of mind," said Chamblee.

His prep plan is largely the same as the advice he gives as part of the state's Severe Weather Awareness Week, which culminates this weekend with a sales tax holiday for weather preparedness goods. Outdoor decorations are packed up and put indoors, cars are stored somewhere safe or draped in tarps in case of debris and hail, flashlight and weather radio batteries are checked.

It's almost springtime, which in Alabama means it's almost severe weather season, Chamblee said, as March through May see the highest frequency of tornado activity throughout the year.

"But emergencies can happen any time, and it doesn't have to be from tornadoes or straight line winds," he said. "It's a good time to prepare for any situation."

For Tiffany DeBoer, the EMA's public information officer, severe weather prep comes down to supplies and a trustworthy plastic tub, filled with anything from food, water, batteries and helmets to dog leashes for keeping up with her family's cohort of canines.

"Even before I started working for the EMA we had a plastic tub with all our stuff in it," said DeBoer. "When there was a tornado watch we had that out and ready, and once we went under a warning, we grabbed all our dogs and cats and had our box ready."

Calhoun County residents will have a chance to save some money while they fill their own emergency tubs this weekend, during the state's severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday. The event runs Friday through Sunday and applies to preparedness purchases made in Anniston, Jacksonville, Weaver, Ohatchee and unincorporated Calhoun County. Oxford is not participating this year, according to city staff; attempts to reach Piedmont about participation were unsuccessful Wednesday. A full list of participating municipalities and counties in the state is available at the Alabama Department of Revenue website.

DeBoer said that now is not only the time to be sure supplies are secured, but to be sure lines of communication are open. The EMA recommends having at least three independent ways of receiving information during emergencies, which might include weather radios, smartphone alerts, emails and text messages.

The county's emergency notification software, Everbridge, provides free access to alerts via text message and email as the EMA sends them. Residents can quickly register by texting CalhounEMA to 888-777 and following the prompts.

Assistant Metro Editor Ben Nunnally: 256-235-3560.