By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Shelby County and several of its cities will waive their sales taxes on several severe weather preparation items during the state’s severe weather preparedness tax holiday from Feb. 22-24.

The tax holiday will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 22, and will end at midnight on Sunday, Feb. 24.

According to the Alabama Department of Revenue, Shelby County, Pelham, Calera, Columbiana, Hoover, Montevallo, Wilsonville, Helena and Leeds have agreed to waive their sales taxes on certain items throughout the weekend.

Indian Springs Village does not charge city sales tax.

The state also will waive its sales taxes on the included items during the tax holiday.

The tax holiday is intended to give Alabama residents a chance to stock up on severe weather emergency items in preparation for the upcoming tornado and hurricane seasons, according to Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley.

“People need to take this opportunity to stock up on the supplies they’ll need before, during and after severe weather,” Bentley wrote in a press release. “Alabama is vulnerable to several different forms of severe weather. Take the time now to plan ahead. If you wait until the storm strikes, it’s often too late.”

Most items included in the sales tax holiday must cost $60 or less. Generators are covered as long as they cost $1,000 or less.

Items covered by the severe weather sales tax holiday include:

-Several types of batteries, including cell phone batteries and chargers.

-Battery-powered radios.

-NOAA weather radios.

-Flashlights, lanterns and emergency glow sticks.

-First aid kits.

-Duct tape.

-Plywood, window film or other materials specifically designed to protect window openings.

-Portable generators.

-Gas or diesel fuel containers.

-Tarpaulins and plastic sheeting.

-Any non-electric food storage cooler or water storage container.

-Non-electric can openers.

-Any artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs or reusable ice.

-Fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

-Ground anchor systems such as cords or rope or tie-down kits.

For a complete list of items covered during the tax holiday, visit Revenue.alabama.gov.