Purchases to Prepare for the 2020 Hurricane Season

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all still doing well amidst the chaos and social distancing (which I hope you’re still doing by the way). This year truly is unique in that we’re entering hurricane season while going through a global pandemic. Things are already scarce on the shelves, and we’ve had 2 named storms before hurricane season has even officially started, with another one gaining strength.

I looked at my preparedness plan a little differently this year, and came up with a list of a few main things to focus on buying. The 2020 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday runs from May 29th through June 4th this year, so now is a good time to take advantage of stocking up where it makes sense. This list is not a one size fits all, but will hopefully give you some ideas on where to start.

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To start, here is what I’ve purchased so far to prepare for hurricane season this year:

1. Water
2. Solar-powered weather radio with a hand-crank
3. Solar-powered rechargeable external backup battery pack
4. Camp stove
5. Butane fuel
6. Isopropyl Alcohol
7. Cloth face masks/facial coverings

Here are some things that I already had on hand, but will also be useful for hurricane preparedness:

1. Flashlight
2. Lantern
3. Batteries
4. Non-perishable food
5. First-aid kit
6. Additional medication – multi-vitamin, ibuprofen, allergy medication, etc
7. Flushable wipes
8. Bleach
9. Car battery jump starter with power pack

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Finally, here are a few things that you should consider purchasing based on your family’s situation. These items are also on the sales tax holiday list:

1. Generator
2. Gas or diesel fuel container
3. Bungee cords, ground anchor system or tie-down kit
4. Plastic drop cloths or visqueen
5. Plywood or panels to cover windows if you don’t have shutters installed

You’ll notice that several of the things I’ve listed can also double as pandemic essentials in this ‘new normal’ (e.g., alcohol, cloth face masks, bleach). We should all think a little bit more about what our situation could look like if other disasters happen in the middle of this pandemic. Some areas are already dealing with fires, tornadoes, flooding and other things in addition to being concerned about potential spread of coronavirus. So, take a moment to think about what you and your family may need to do differently or add to your hurricane preparedness plan this season as well.

Stay safe!