Must Have Hurricane Season Supply List

Essential Steps for Hurricane Storm Prep

8/27/2018

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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

Here in Florida, hurricane season runs from June to November-- peaking in late August through September. Since the start of the peak season is just around the corner, it’s time to inventory and add to our hurricane prep kit.

The 2017 hurricane season was a wake-up call to get prepared. We realized that we have been woefully underprepared for storms—not just hurricanes, but other natural and manmade disasters.

Learn how to put together your emergency prep supplies for the next storm. #prep #supplies #hurricane #pack #tools

There are many really good resources on the web to help prepare for storms or other disasters. Choose a resource that best meets your needs. For us, hurricane preparation guides and a bucket list the City of Tallahassee mailed to all residents, serve as our framework. The Florida grocery chain, Publix, also puts out a great brochure which is easily picked up from the flyer spinner at the front of every store.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of how to prepare. Your family, and your situation may be very different from ours. This post is about how WE prepare.

The Milwaukee Packout system works great as a way to store emergency supplies.

The Milwaukee Packout is designed for portable tool storage, but it makes a great system for keeping all your hurricane supplies organized and easy to move.

We prepare for the approach of a hurricane by:

Gathering our supplies
Securing loose items in the yard (i.e. trash cans, lawn furniture, large kid toys)
Filling the cars with gas
Utilizing all our fillable containers with drinking water (you do not have to buy bottled water, refillable containers will do the job quite nicely)*
Prep a supply of canned and boxed foods
Secure cash

The Milwaukee packout has three spaces for storage of tools and more.

A good container is a must. Having everything gathered in a portable, central location is key to sheltering in place or last minute evacuation.

Here we are showing the Milwaukee packout, which is water resistant and has a nice tight seal. It’s great for organizing all the supplies you might need, and can be used for other things outside hurricane season.

Put items needing quick access into the top of the Milwaukee packout.

The top container can store small items like batteries, flashlights, cash, and first aid supplies.

Husky Tools makes lot of different flashlights.

Flashlights are a must during power outages. Husky makes an entire line that is perfect for emergencies. This one hangs and is magnetic.

Most of the tool companies have lights and fans in their inventory. Invest in tools for which you already have batteries. Also, for charging cell phones, Makita and Ridgid have a gadget that attaches to their rechargeable batteries and can be used to charge USB devices. Ridgid also has a radio with a built-in USB charger so as long as you have charged Ridgid batteries, you can charge your phone and get weather updates on the radio.

A reliable battery powered radio is a must for storm system. Ridgid makes one that is perfect.

This is Ridgid's battery powered radio that can connect to AM and FM stations and has bluetooth to play from your phone.

A great feature on the Ridgid radio is the USB port. If you have a charged battery, then you can charge your USB devices.

The Ridgid MegaMax with reciprocating head and Diablo pruning blade.

The Ridgid MegaMax reciprocating saw with pruning blade can be used after a storm for minor cleanup chores.

Battery powered tools:

Lights
Fans
Radio
Reciprocating saw + pruning blades (for tree limb clean up after the storm or cleaning up metal or wood damage around the house)

Graphic showing ways to prep your freezer and fridge for a possible power outage.

If your power is out, you need to think about how you’re going to cook. I am lucky that I have a gas cooktop that will light even when there is no power. There are many products on the market for cooking without power. Invest in something that would meet your needs. Even something as simple as a DIY Buddy Burner could help in a pinch to at least heat water for coffee.

Should you have to evacuate, it's easy to put the fully loaded Milwaukee Packout into your car and take it with you to your eventual destination. Everything you'll need will be organized and accessible.

*Extra water on hand is good to have for two reasons. 1) If city water becomes contaminated or undrinkable (they will alert you if this happens possibly necessitating a “boil water” notice.) 2) If you pump your own well water. If the power fails, so does the ability to pump water.

Resources:
https://www.protoolreviews.com/news/how-power-is-restored-after-a-storm/32986/
https://www.protoolreviews.com/news/tools-you-need-for-a-hurricane/32990/
http://www.haveahurricaneplan.com
https://www.fema.gov

One last thing...before the storm, take pictures of your house inside and out so if anything is damaged, you can provide these quickly to your insurance company.

Products:

Milwaukee 22 in. Packout Modular Tool Box Storage System (Home Depot)
Husky 4AAA 300-Lumen LED Dual Beam Unbreakable Headlight (Home Depot)
Husky 200-Lumen Multi Use LED Clip Light (Home Depot)
Husky 200-Lumen Multi-Use LED Utility Light (Home Depot)
Ridgid 18-Volt Cordless Mini Bluetooth Radio with Radio App (Home Depot)
RIDGID 18-Volt GEN5X Brushless MegaMax Powerbase (Home Depot)
RIDGID MegaMax Reciprocating Saw Head (Home Depot)
Diablo 9 in. 9 TPI Demo Demon Carbide General Purpose Reciprocating Saw Blade (Home Depot)
Diablo 9 in. Carbide Pruning and Clean Wood Cutting Reciprocating Saw Blade (Home Depot)
Diablo 9 in. 10 TPI Steel Demon Carbide Medium Metal Cutting Reciprocating Saw Blade (Home Depot)
RIDGID 18-Volt GEN5X Hybrid Fan (Home Depot)
Ridgid Hybrid GEN5X Cordless Folding Panel Light (Home Depot)
RIDGID 18-Volt HYPER OCTANE Bluetooth 6.0Ah Battery Pack (Home Depot)
Rubbermaid 75 Qt. Blue Wheeled Cooler (Home Depot)
Everbilt 8 ft. x 10 ft. Blue General Purpose Tarp (Home Depot)
Batteries (Home Depot)

We acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with us to participate in the ProSpective 2018 Campaign. As a part of the Program, we are receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are our own words. Our post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!