Governor Robert Bentley declared Feb. 21 through 23 a tax-free weekend for the third time since the April 27, 2011 tornadoes. Alabama residents are able to stock up on items to put in their severe weather kits.

Some of the items included batteries, cell phone batteries and chargers, duct tape, rope, ice packs, first-aid kits, fire extinguishers and flashlights. The limit for these items was any item under $60 or generators and power cords priced at $1,000 or less.

Junior level-one nursing students Doreen Apeaning, Shelby Mayhut, McKenzie Burns, and Mandy Taylor were not aware that the weekend existed, but said they planned to take full advantage of it.

Apeaning said she did not have to worry about bread.

“By the time you get there, all the milk and bread is gone,” she said. “So we bought a bread maker. It’s fresher and taste better, too.”

Burns said since the tornadoes of April 27, people have started taking severe weather seriously, but freshman Kristen King does not think so.

“I was supposed to come home but my mom was like ‘I think you should just wait,’” she said. “(I) guess I’m not taking it as serious.”

King said after the April 27 tornadoes, she makes sure she has all of her necessitiess when severe weather strikes.

“I stock up on the essential foods and make sure all my stuff is charged,” she said.

Lacy Crump, a customer service associate at Wal-Mart, said people should take advantage of tax-free weekends in the future, but she has not seen much in sales in her department.

“You could save a lot of money (from participating), but being back here (in customer service) we haven’t seen much,” she said.

Crump said there are a lot of items on the list that could be used for camping and outdoors, but she does not think people are very aware of the weekend.

“The biggest (issue) is are people aware of (the weekend),” she said.

Whether someone is preparing their severe weather kit or just wanting to take advantage of the weekend, it’s a good idea to do so in the future, King said.

“If they don’t already have those things, I would (go buy them),” King said. “Everyone needs them.”