Gustav puts Alabama on watch as storm heads for Gulf of Mexico

MONTGOMERY | Gov. Bob Riley on Wednesday joined Gulf state counterparts in advising residents to prepare for the possibility of a hurricane early next week that could send evacuees from the coast into Alabama.

Riley and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency urged preparation for Tropical Storm Gustav, which was downgraded Wednesday from a hurricane but was expected to regain hurricane status.

'This storm is another important reminder of everyone's responsibility to prepare for emergencies,' Riley said. 'State agencies are monitoring Gustav and will be ready to take action, but I encourage residents to use this time to review and update their personal emergency plans.'

Those plans should include an emergency kit, a family communications plan, an evacuation plan if necessary and a plan for pet care.

Louisiana and Mississippi officials remembering hurricane-plagued 2005 — the year of Hurricane Katrina — also advised residents to prepare Wednesday. Officials were making plans to evacuate people, pets and hospital patients from New Orleans to avoid a repeat of the chaos in the wake of Katrina, the Associated Press reported.

Friday marks the three-year anniversary Katrina hit land, devastating New Orleans and Mississippi and delivering Alabama a glancing but significant blow.

Gustav could be in the central Gulf of Mexico by Monday morning, the end of the three-day Labor Day weekend.

Travel and tourism officials say a hurricane could complicate Monday travel for Alabamians during a time when storm evacuees may be seeking shelter in hotels, as they did three years ago.

'You don't try to second-guess a storm,' said Mike Foster, vice president of marketing at the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau.

AAA Alabama spokesman Clay Ingram said the organization expects fewer people to travel on vacation this weekend, because of high gas prices, but a hurricane could still pose travel complications.

Tourism officials said local motels could start filling up during the weekend.

'The last two hurricanes, Ivan and Katrina, we set up mobile facilities on the interstate and provided information to travelers,' said Robert Ratliff, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Gasoline prices have dropped considerably during the last month, but anecdotal stories have emerged of gasoline prices along the coast jumping 20 cents a gallon in one day.

State troopers will be on duty this weekend targeting drunken drivers and speeders, Department of Public Safety Director Col. J. Christopher Murphy said.

University of Louisiana-Monroe officials said Saturday night's game against Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium is still planned. 'It's been talked about,' Louisiana-Monroe sports media director Adam Prendergast said of the storm.

The University of Alabama plays in Atlanta on Saturday night. Alabama and Louisiana-Monroe teams would be home early Sunday in advance of Gustav's arrival.

Information is at www.Ready.gov, www.readyalabama.org, www.ema.alabama.gov.