The Christian Emergency Network (CEN) has urged people along the East Coast to leave their homes and churches as soon as possible.

“A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it…‘Proverbs 22:3 NIV',” stated the alert released by CEN.

The Christian Post talked to Misti McHatton, communications director of CEN, who said the organization offered Christian responses to natural disasters.

McHatton said the alert was in support of the evacuation warnings issued by government officials in areas predicted to be impacted by the storm.

In addition to support groups located in the Bahamas and North Carolina, churches across the East Coast have volunteered to become “ReadyChurches.” A ReadyChurch offers support in any way it can to ailing communities.

McHatton told CP that the ReadyChurches in the Bahamas are now in a recovery phase and are “assessing the damages and stepping up to help those in the community.”

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She added that people within the North Carolina response group are keeping an updated account on community needs as they arise.

CEN is a network of Christian volunteers, community leaders and emergency professionals working together to prepare the church to “be aware, ready, and there to respond to crisis and disaster.”

The Christian Emergency Network has ReadyChurches that are located across the nation.

As of 8:00 p.m. Friday, Hurricane Irene was about 180 miles south-southwest of Cape Lookout, N.C., and around 235 miles south-southwest of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

Irene was moving north-northeast, spreading inland over southeastern North Carolina, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The storm has maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.

A hurricane warning is in effect along the East Coast from Little River Inlet, N.C., to Sagamore Beach, Mass. – including the Pamlico, Albemarle, and Currituck Sounds, Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, N.Y.C., Long Island, Long Island Sound, Coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.