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The Blanco County Disaster Response Group began preparing for Dolly on Friday, when it was still a Caribbean tropical storm but expected to become a hurricane and hit south Texas.

The chance of Blanco County being directly affected was slim. Most likely would be a call to go assist with the response farther south.

Checking supplies here was part of it, but the main activity was talking with disaster coordinators farther south and clearing personal schedules so members could go if the call came.

Why start so far ahead?

“There’s a common attitude that we should wait until we’re sure we’re going to be affected,” said group chairman George Barnette. “You see those folks on television — on their rooftops, waving at helicopters — or public officials trying to explain why their preparations were ineffective.”

“Disaster planners don’t have the luxury to wait and see.”

The group is prepared to open a shelter in Blanco County in the unlikely event it would be needed. If not, members are set to throw air mattresses in the truck and head south.