American Red Cross officials are preparing for the coming hurricane season, making sure it has all of its people and procedures in order just in case there is another emergency on the scale of Hurricane Katrina.

Officials from the National Red Cross are in Meridian this week, helping the key chapter conduct a disaster training exercise.

In this particular exercise, staff and volunteers are simulating what would happen if a tornado hit Collinsville and destroyed 50 homes.

"After Katrina, we just want to be ready for hurricane season 2006, and have all of the supervisors and managers in their respective departments and ask all the volunteers to come out and help us," said Gordon Stewart.

This is the first time the key chapter of the Red Cross has held a national drill like this one.