By Gregory Woodsgwoods@abcnews4.com

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) -- As the southeastern United States heads into the most active time of hurricane season, the American Red Cross is urging people to prepare for major storms.

And officials are using the 25th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo to talk about preparation. The Red Cross is gearing up for its week-long disaster relief classes as a part of the Prepare SC campaign.

Jim Strohm, the disaster relief chairman with the nonprofit, says he remembers Hurricane Hugo like it was just yesterday.

I stayed in my house with 10 other people. Luckily, I didn't have any trees hit my house and I don't know what I would've done if one did, said Strohm.

Strohm says he wasn't a Red Cross volunteer back then, but he wishes he was.

It was 10 or 15 days before people had electricity restored. Four to 10 days for water restoration, but now that I'm in the Red Cross I'll be better able to respond if something like that happens again, said Strohm.

If a hurricane does hit the Lowcountry again, the Red Cross wants the people of the Lowcountry to be prepared. It's the reason they are offering free classes on what everyone needs to know in case of a disaster.

What type of a plan do you need for you family, or what type of things you should have in a home kit are all the things we will be teaching, said Strohm.

The Red Cross will also be giving classes for people who would like to be become volunteers.

Link:

Red Cross urges preparation in hurricane season's peak