As residents along the coasts of Florida, Georgia, NorthCarolina and South Carolina prepare for the impact of HurricaneMatthew, the governor of Florida is not mincing words.

“If you're watching this and are in an evacuation area … getout,” said Gov. Rick Scott, emphasizing that the state would eithersustain a direct hit from the Category 4 storm or at the very leastbe severely hit along the East Coast. “There are no excuses, youneed to leave. Evacuate. Evacuate. Evacuate.”

With wind gusts of 145 to 150 mph, life-threatening storm surgesand high tides, power outages that could last for days or weeks,and rainfall totals of 5-12 inches, Matthew is expected to travelup the East Coast from Florida to the Carolinas before pushing awayfrom the coast sometime on Sunday.

Shelters are being set up on the west coast of Florida inanticipation of the influx of residents evacuating ahead of thestorm.

In the meantime, residents are making preparations to eitherride out the storm if they are far enough inland, or packing upwhatever will fit into their vehicles and moving to saferground.

A compilation of forecasted storm tracks for HurricaneMatthew shows that Matthew will be dangerously close to the eastcoast of Florida. In a bizarre twist, the hurricane will likely doa 360-degree turn and possibly threaten South Florida again withtropical storm conditions early nextweek. (Photo: Forensic Weather Consultants)

Riding out the storm

Insurers are contacting policyholders in the affected areas andurging them to take precautions in order to stay safe, mitigatesome of the damage and recover more quickly after the storm.Residential property owners staying at home should:

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  • Have at least a three-day supply of drinking water (one gallonper person per day) and nonperishable food per person. Eat theperishable items first, suggests preparedness expert Joe Alton,M.D.
  • Alton also recommends cooking any meat before the hurricane,freezing it for later use.
  • Charge all computers and cellphones and any supplementalbattery backups.
  • Have battery-operated lights and radios, as well as extrabatteries.
  • Fill bathtubs with extra water for washing and flushingtoilets.
  • Check to make sure that all drains around the property arecleared of debris and that downspouts drain away from thehouse.
  • Secure trashcans, outdoor furniture, planters and other itemsthat are certain to become projectiles in high winds.
  • Bring in all pets or secure them in a safe shelter.
  • Take photos or video of the inside and outside of the propertyin case any damage is sustained during the storm.
  • Move vehicles to higher ground or inside of a garage.
  • Close and secure all windows and doors. Plywood can be put overwindows to protect against flying debris.
  • The Red Cross recommends turning the refrigerator and freezerto the coldest settings and keep the doors closed. Also considerfilling zip-type bags three-quarters of the way with water andputting them throughout the freezer. This creates ice packs to helpkeep food cold when the power goes out.
  • Move any items on a lower level several feet up off of thefloor in case of flooding or put them in plastic containers toprotect them.
  • Refill any prescriptions.
  • Fill up gas tanks in vehicles in case of an emergencyevacuation.
  • Have a list of contact numbers for family members or friendsoutside of the area, so you can let them know where and how you areafter the storm.
  • Have extra cash on hand to purchase items after the storm sinceATMs may not be operating.
  • Have tarps, buckets and mops available in case there is anyflooding or damage to the roof or other structures.
  • Collect any important papers like insurance policies, deeds,vehicle titles, birth certificates and other important papers incase of an evacuation.
  • Be aware that flood damage is not covered by the standardhomeowners insurance policy.
  • Unplug any electric appliances — televisions, computers,stereos, microwaves, etc.
  • Have a first aid kit available.

Scott Humphrey, second vice president of risk control forTravelers Insurance, says that 6 out of 10Americans believe that the risk of severe, damaging weather isincreasing, according to the “2016Travelers Risk Index,” and 39 percent believe damageto their property, homes or automobiles is more likely.

Related: 5 things you should know about floodinsurance

Read on for evacuation tips:

Sustained winds are shown here indicate that sustainedwinds of 25-30 mph are beginning to move onshore in Broward andPalm Beach counties in Florida. Tropical storm conditions will bemoving in this afternoon. (Photo: Forensic Weather Consultants)

Evacuation tips

In addition to taking the actions above, residents evacuating toa safer area should take additional steps to prepare:

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  • Collect and take all health insurance cards and auto, propertyand life insurance policies.
  • Take enough food and water for several days for each person andany pets. Don't forget manual can openers and utensils.
  • Pack any necessary toiletries and other supplies — suchas diapers, personal hygiene items, paper towels, toiletpaper, trash bags, etc.
  • Bring any medication and prescriptions in their containers tomake it easier to refill them.
  • Clothing. Take at least several days of comfortable clothes,sturdy shoes, socks, underwear, jackets, heavy gloves and clothesfor sleeping in.
  • Charge cellphones and laptops and bring the chargers.
  • Gather games and books for children (especially items thatdon't require electricity to run).
  • Collect supplies — duct tape, pocket knife, small toolbox,fix-a-flat, etc.
  • Bring sleeping bags, folding chairs and camping gear for use inshelters.
  • Notify family members outside of the storm area that you areevacuating and where you are going.

Business continuity plans are critical to getting a businessoperating after a major catastrophe. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Business owners and property managers

Commercial business owners must prepare not only their homes andfamilies for the storm, but their businesses, employees, customersand property as well. Liberty Mutual Insurance offers these recommendations to business owners:

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  • Maintain a list of current telephone numbers and contacts foremergency action such as plumbers, local police departments,medical facilities, utilities, contractors, insurance agent andbroker, building owner, HVAC contractor and others. Also have acomplete list of all employees with home and cellphone numbers, aswell as emergency contacts.
  • Review your business continuity plan and update as needed. Makesure key staff members are familiar with the plan as well, when itwill be implemented and any post-event procedures.
  • Arrange to have backup communications and an offsite emergencycontrol center — such as a hotel meeting room, temporaryspace, etc. — away from the impacted area.
  • Identify vulnerable and critical equipment and processes. Haveinstructions for shutting them down or relocating them to anotherarea.
  • Identify equipment that is vulnerable to water and cover itwith waterproof tarpaulins.
  • Inspect the roof, drains, gutters and other areas for drainageissues. Secure any items that could become airborne in the wind.Trim trees away from the roof or building that could fall and causedamage.
  • Shut down all gas-fired equipment and shut off the main gasvalve
  • Anchor all trailers and portable buildings to the ground.
  • Secure scaffolds, cranes and other equipment.
  • Notify key customers, suppliers and others of your contingencyand closing plans.
  • Decide when to excuse employees to make their personalpreparations
  • Customize voicemail, website and other messages so stakeholdersare aware of what is transpiring.
  • Arrange for site security after the hurricane.
  • Establish a personnel rotation for critical operations afterthe hurricane.

“Preparation is one key way to minimizing the eventual impact astorm has on a company's operations and bottom line,” notes RalphTiede, manager, commercial property risk engineering, LibertyMutual. “Work upfront pays dividend down the road. Businesses cantake clear steps to prepare their operations before a storm hits tobetter protect their facilities, employees, recovery and thepublic.”

Related: 5 ways businesses can prepare for hurricaneseason

According to AIR, Florida's governor has declared a state ofemergency for the entire state, the governor of Georgia hasdeclared a state of emergency for 13 coastal counties, the governorof South Carolina has declared a state of emergency andordered coastal evacuations, while the governor of North Carolinahas declared a state of emergency for more than 50 counties with amandatory evacuation order for Ocracoke Island. Residents in allareas are encouraged to take precautions immediately and plan for aworse-case scenario.

This story will be updated as more information becomesavailable.

Related: 5 steps to smarter catastrophepreparations

View our full coverage on disaster risk andrecovery for Hurricane Season 2016.