adminCredit unions in Alabama may want to consider stocking up on severe weather preparedness items this week. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has declared this week Alabama Severe Weather Awareness Week. In conjunction with the awareness week, Alabama will hold its ninth Severe Weather Preparedness tax-free holiday beginning at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21, and ending at midnight, Sunday, Feb. 23, allowing Alabama shoppers to stock up tax free on common supplies costing less than $60 that every home and business needs to prepare for a natural disaster or even a general emergency. Generators costing $1,000 or less also can be purchased free of the state’s 4% sales tax during the three-day tax holiday, according to alabamaretail.org.
“Our credit unions in Alabama, Florida and Georgia have experienced the chaos that severe weather can cause,” said Juli Lewis, director of the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation. “When our states have these tax-free holidays, it gives us the opportunity to stock up on items credit unions and their staff need to function in cases of power outages and more. The savings during a holiday like this can be significant.”
Whether in the form of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes or flash floods, severe weather can develop quickly, and credit unions need to have the tools they need on hand to serve members. Once a tornado approaches or flooding develops it is too late to start working on a preparedness plan.
For an electronic version of the Alabama All Hazards Awareness Booklet click here.
The National Weather Service has a comprehensive list of suggested items to have on hand in your Emergency Supply Kit here. Some cities and counties will also be waving their local tax. For a full list of participating areas, visit revenue.alabama.gov.
