Alabama severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday 2021: Here’s what’s included Updated Feb 25, 2021; Facebook Share By Ben Nunnally The Anniston Star, Ala. (TNS) and Tribune Media Services 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.