Severe weather preparedness tax-free weekend under way - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Alabama's first ever tax-free weekend for severe weather preparedness is underway.  Right now you can buy supplies for a weather emergency without having to pay the 4% state sales tax.  Many local governments across the state have chosen to participate by removing their own local sales and use taxes from certain items during the tax holiday.

The legislature passed this new tax holiday in April.  It's similar to the back to school tax-free weekend, except that the tax -free items are things that can help protect you when severe weather strikes.

Items included are flashlights, batteries weather radios, cell phone chargers, duct tape and first aid kits.  Items cannot cost more than $60, unless they are generators, which can't cost more than $1000.

This weekend is a great chance to load up on supplies and save some money and shoppers are ready to take advantage of the deals.

Home Depot shopper Mark Weigmann says,  "I think that it will encourage people to be prepared in case we do have anymore storms. Sometimes we need a reason to go and this certainly helps to get people out and get the items that they need. So if they do get into a situation, they will already prepared."

Art Faulkner, State EMA Director, stresses the importance of planning for severe weather. "There's never a bad time to be prepared.  And just as we've seen this week, thunderstorms pop up in the afternoon.  They may not be deadly storms, thank goodness, but they do cause damage across the state even though it may be minor damage.  People need to be prepared for the severe thunderstorms, the tornado seasons that we have and we're in hurricane season now for the state of Alabama."

While many parts of the state are participating in this weekend's tax free holiday, not all areas are.  Escambia, Dale, Chilton and Crenshaw Counties are not participating, nor are the cities of Auburn, Enterprise, Ozark, Daleville, Shorter and Dadeville.

Copyright 2012 WSFA 12 News.  All rights reserved.