GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — There is nothing like it. The wind, the water and the power of a hurricane.

“I remember the sounds,” says Kathy Evans who has been through a storm. “The sounds of a hurricane are one of the most eerie sounds I have ever heard.”

It can be overwhelming. “If they tell you to get out of here, get out of here,” says Bob Steiskal. He has been through a hurricane.

James Evans is new to the area and if a storm was coming, “I’d consider whether I want to stick around and watch it or leave, evacuate. We’ve got hurricane shutters and everything. That’s what we are here for to find out what we need to do to prepare for a hurricane.”

“We got a lot of new people that have moved into town that do not understand the risk,” says Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft. “This is especially important for them to come and get all this information and be aware of how important this is.”

The best defense is education and preparation. Knowing what to do before the storm hits.

“Have a plan in place if we have a storm.” says city EMA director Branden Franklin. “Know where they are going to go if they have to go. Being able to protect their homes and their structures. Just resiliency.”

“I know they don’t want to leave their homes and everything like that but that stuff can be replaced, a person cannot be replaced,” adds Jan Steiskal.

Hurricane season begins June 1. Experts say the more prepared you are now, the quicker the recovery if a major storm hits.

Experts agree the storms are getting stronger, moving faster. Waiting to prepare could be waiting too late.