Premier Paula Cox conducted an Island-wide pre-hurricane tour today to reassure residents and business owners in the lead up to Hurricane Leslie.Situated some 174 miles east of Bermuda Leslie has been downgraded to a tropical storm that is expected to reach its closet point of approach to the island by 4pm on Sunday.“This is the first hurricane that’s come up during my term of office as leader, and I thought it was important, even if it isn’t seen as the ‘biggy’ its still important to be here,” said Ms Cox.“Hurricanes can be very unpredictable, we don’t know what is going to happen and you certainly want to make sure that you’re touching base. I’m not covering the whole Island, but touching base with people to see how they’re doing,” she added.Forecasters predict Leslie will grow in strength to be a Category 1 hurricane when she passes the Island and the Bermuda Weather Service is still issuing a tropical storm watch.The Premier set out this morning for the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors residence in Devonshire. She met with caretakers and residents to ensure they are prepared for the storm.From there it was on to the Dialysis Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, then on to to a city tour with Mayor of Hamilton Graeme Outerbridge.Mr Outerbridge was confident all the necessary storm preparations were made. “We are ready for the storm,” he said.“We’ve done our proper preparations, we have an actual regime that we go through and I’m satisfied that our professionals are ready for the storm whatever comes.When asked what her main message was in the lead up to the storm, the Premier replied: “The word is that we’ve got to remember who we are, it means the duty of care to our neighbours.“Its taking time to look out for others who may not be as fortunate as ourselves and making sure that we also touch base with people, particularly if you know that they are a single person and a senior, just seeing if there’s anything that you could do to help, whether its just to offer water or a word of comfort.“People aren’t expecting you to come out and give them the world, its just letting people know that you care; it is as simple as that. And also letting them know that we’ve been through hurricanes before and we’re going to go through them in the future, and this time its about making sure we prepare,” said Ms Cox.“Hopefully this storm will continue to be less of a threat but at the same time what I’m impressed about is that people are taking action to prepare. And hopefully its all a big yawn but we have to operate on the basis that it may not be.“It’s never over until the fat lady sings and hurricanes can be notoriously unpredictable but I think the more that we hear that its veering east the better,” she said.At this stage what we will do is what we have always done from a public works point of view we are in the business of making sure Bermuda resumes back to work as quickly as possible with minimal risk to life.”From Hamilton it was on to the west end of the Island for a number of site visits in Sandys.The storm is forecast to move further away from the Island this weekend. When asked how she plans to weather the storm, Ms Cox said: “I tend to have a stack of books for reading.“They tell me protocols are that you are insulated in some way but to be quite honest I’d like to stay at home and catch up on some reading and the work that you have to do that isn’t action oriented, but more to do with preparation.”Meanwhile, National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief will issue a statement later today, after a third meeting of the Emergency Measures Organisation.