Hurricane Preparedness Week: Build Your Emergency Supplies Kit

5/12/2021 (Permalink)

Get your emergency supply kit ready for hurricane season, and have on hand in your home, car, and workplace.

Hurricane season begins here in Florida in just a few weeks, so now is the time to make sure your home and business are prepared for potential storms and power loss. Anyone who has experienced a typical Florida hurricane season knows that once a storm is imminent, the stores have a mad rush to buy supplies and gas. It’s much less stressful and easier on your budget to gradually build up a stockpile in advance over time.

As your local storm and water damage restoration experts, we know that hurricane season can be stressful. Our Storm Preparedness Week blog series this week can help you prepare for hurricane season and have peace of mind knowing that you are ready.

Day 2 of Storm Preparedness Week focuses on building an emergency kit.  As a hurricane approaches landfall, stores will be closed  and you will need to shelter in place, so you want to have these essentials on hand in an easy to find spot in your home.

• Enough water for each person in your household. Bottled water may sell out quickly, so buy in advance and you can also fill up your reusable bottles/containers with water before the storm.
• Several days worth of non-perishable food that you can cook/consume without power. Don’t forget a can opener!
• Medications and first aid kit
• Pet food and supplies if applicable
• If you have an infant, adequate supply of formula, wipes, baby food and diapers
• Flashlights and batteries. Avoid using candles which can pose a fire risk.
• Copies of important documents

While the Gainesville area doesn’t face the same storm damage risk as coastal cities, it is not unusual to see damage from fallen trees and heavy winds, resulting in roof damage and several days of power outage in some neighborhoods. Having your emergency kit ready at the start of hurricane season will give you peace of mind and help protect your family.

You can visit Florida Health for a more detailed emergency supply list, and take a short Red Cross emergency kit readiness quiz  to find out if you're properly prepared.

After a storm, you can count on us at SERVPRO Gainesville West/Alachua West to repair any storm damage to your home or business: 352-374-6589.