May 15 is the official start of the rainy season, which means hurricane season is right around the corner. The official start of hurricane season in the Atlantic is June 1, and now is the time to prepare for any potential storms.
Scott Hamblen, the chief operating officer at Sunshine Ace Hardware, joined Gulf Coast News to discuss what hurricane supplies you need to keep your family safe.
The No. 1 item that every home should have for hurricane season is power. It's essential to our response, recovery and a return to normalcy. It could be a generator. The price might equal the cost of spoiled food in your fridge and freezer if there is an extended outage. But other options to consider is batteries for flashlights and portable chargers for your phone.
When thinking about other essentials, think about what you would need for three days. Food and bottled water for your family or your pets. Consider also getting a grill and gas/pellets to cook meats and vegetables. A cordless drill to install and remove hurricane shutters or a cooler to keep food from spoiling if you don’t have a generator. During a storm, power is likely to go out. It's important to get a battery-operated radio to keep yourself informed about the storm.
The best advice for hurricane season is to prepare early. There will be lines for gas and retail stores, which often run out of water and other essential supplies. Once Florida is in a storm’s forecast path, you should be putting up hurricane shutters.
For more information or if you need a checklist , visit Sunshine Ace online.
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