KNOW THE HOME. PLAN YOUR NEXT STEP.
Build a Hurricane Emergency Kit for Your Household
Build a hurricane supply kit around your household’s water, food, medication, communication and evacuation needs, with safe backup-power planning.
Quick recap
- Build an emergency kit around your household's food, water, medication, communication and pet needs using Florida's current checklist.
- Plan portable supplies and backup arrangements before an outage, including appropriate help for medical-equipment needs.
- Generators must stay outdoors, away from openings. Follow CDC guidance and local evacuation instructions; supplies are not a reason to ignore an evacuation order.
Build an emergency kit around the people and pets who will use it. A box of generic supplies is less useful if it misses a child's food, an essential prescription or the power needs of medical equipment. Start while there is time to check items and replace what is missing.
Plan food, water and everyday needs
Florida's disaster checklist recommends at least seven days of supplies. Plan drinking water for every household member, food that fits dietary needs, a manual can opener and pet supplies. Include lighting, spare batteries, a radio, charging equipment, hygiene items and copies of important contact information. Use the state's current checklist to review quantities and categories.
Talk with your pharmacist or healthcare team about prescription refills, storage and backup arrangements for medical devices. Keep written instructions where caregivers can find them. Choose containers that are easy to carry if the household needs to leave, and identify who will collect them.
Make power plans before an outage
Portable generators produce carbon monoxide. CDC says to operate them outdoors more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, and never inside a home or garage, even with openings left open. Use battery-powered or battery-backup carbon-monoxide alarms and follow the equipment's instructions. Arrange any electrical connection with a qualified professional rather than improvising during an outage.
Check expiration dates and test equipment before storm season, then review the kit when household needs change. Keep some supplies ready to travel; an evacuation order takes priority over plans to stay home. This is household preparation, not a substitute for local emergency instructions. Read the Florida supply checklist and CDC generator guidance.