Hurricane Prep: What to Put in Your ‘Go Bag’
Hurricane season starts June 1, but it’s clear and sunny outside. You may not want to think about evacuating amid a deadly storm, but you should be prepared, says a faculty member with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“With tax-free shopping from June 1 to 7 for hurricane preparation, this is the perfect time to get your ‘go bag’ together,” said Natasha Parks, a family and consumer sciences agent with UF/IFAS Extension Duval County. “You are more likely to forget something if you wait until right before a hurricane hits.”
Parks offers tips on what to include in your “go bag.”
- Important documents: If you are displaced from your home, proof of identity and ownership will be needed for reentry and in the recovery process.
- Photo identification
- Birth certificates
- Social security cards
- Immunization records
- A list of your current medications
- Insurance and financial information: Homeowner’s insurance, car insurance, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
- Digital records: Be sure to make a digital back up of photos and video of personal property. Store originals and copies in a waterproof, re-sealable bag or container.
- Clothing, medication, snacks and water: Pack three to five days of clothes for each person in the household. Include snacks, water and all necessary medications.