Five years ago Americans were just beginning to understand the devastation that Hurricane Katrina wrought on Louisiana and Mississippi, two states that have yet to fully recover from the event.

Process this: Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane when it reached New Orleans; Earl, which is heading directly toward the Carolinas as you read this, is more powerful, a Category 4 hurricane.

Mercifully, all of the forecasts have Earl side-swiping North Carolina, stirring up the surf and dropping a few inches of rain that we could surely use before bouncing eastward back out in the Atlantic Ocean, hopefully not to terrorize the northeastern states from there.

Now consider how often weather forecasters have been wrong — and that it wouldn’t take a major miscalculation to change Thursday and Friday’s forecast in Robeson County from blustery and partly sunny to deadly.

So our advice is prepare for the worst, and hope for something else — and clip the following tips for dealing with the potential of a hurricane and attach to the refrigerator.

— Frequently listen to your radio, television or NOAA Weather Radio for information on the storm.

— Gas up family vehicles and make sure they are in good running condition.

— Moor small craft or move to safe shelter.

— Inspect and secure mobile home tie downs.

— Tape, board or shutter all window and door openings. Wedge sliding glass doors to prevent lifting from their tracks.

— Check for batteries, flashlights and battery-operated radios.

— Check on your supply of canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water and medications.

— Secure or bring inside lawn furniture and other loose, lightweight objects, such as garbage cans and garden tools that could become a projectile in high winds.

— Have on hand plenty of cash.

If there is a hurricane warning, meaning one is on the way:

— Follow instructions issued by local authorities. Evacuate if told to do so.

— Leave low-lying areas that may be swept by high tides or storm waves.

— If you plan to leave your home, leave early to avoid the last-minute rush that could leave you stranded. Stay with friends or relatives, at a low-rise inland hotel or motel, or go to a designated public shelter outside a flood zone.

— In any case, leave mobile homes for more substantial shelter.

— Tell friends or relatives who live away from the area your evacuation plans.

— Put food and water out for a pet if you cannot take it with you.

Earl, which is likely to give us a pass, is a good dry run for preparations. But should it turn wet and wild, you know what to do.