Your guide to hurricane season 2024
TAMPA - With all eyes set on what will be Hurricane Helene, it's important to be prepared for the storm.
Here's some information to help you out.
HURRICANE KIT
- Water: one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation (extra water for pets)
- Food - At least three days worth of non-perishable food to include canned soups, canned fruits & veggies, powdered or canned milk, dried fruit, powdered or individually packaged drinks, cereal, cookies, crackers, peanut butter and jelly, coffee and tea, canned meats and fish, etc.
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- A First-Aid kit
- Extra cellphone battery chargers fully charged
- Moist towelettes or baby wipes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Manual can opener
- Whistle to signal for help
- Local maps
- Prescription medications
- Non-prescription medications like pain relievers, antacids, anti-diarrhea medication
- Glasses, contact lens solution
- Baby supplies: plenty of formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, etc.
- Pet food
- Cash
- Candles
- Fuel and fuel can
- Ice chest and ice
- Non-electric clock
- Portable radio, battery-powered or handcrank
- Toiletries
- Window protection
- Family documents, copies of insurance policies, IDs, bank account records, birth certificates, passports in a waterproof, portable container and/or saved electronically
- Sleeping bags/blankets
- Fire extinguisher
- Matches in waterproof container
- Feminine hygiene products
- Paper plates, cups, paper towels, plastic utensils
- Bleach (not scented or color safe). Bleach can be used as a disinfectant using nine parts water to one part bleach, or to treat water by using 16 drops bleach per gallon of water.
- Dust mask and plastic sheeting and cut tape to help filter contaminated air
- Books, games, activities for children
TIP: Take a video or photo inventory of everything in your house on your cellphone for future reference.
What do I need to do before a hurricane?
FEMA recommends doing the following to prepare for the 2024 hurricane season:
- Plan for evacuation by learning your community’s evacuation routes and finding the location of the nearest emergency shelter.
- Plan for your entire household, including children, people with disabilities, and access and functional needs and pets.
- Keep your gas tank at least half-full at all times
- Pick an out-of-state contact that everyone can call to check in and report their status.
- Know where you will meet up if you are separated and where you will stay.
- Pack a "go bag" including items you need to take with you if you evacuate.
FIND YOUR EVACUATION ZONE
- CITRUS COUNTY
- DESOTO COUNTY
- HARDEE COUNTY
- HERNANDO COUNTY
- HIGHLANDS COUNTY
- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
- MANATEE COUNTY
- PASCO COUNTY
- PINELLAS COUNTY
- POLK COUNTY
- SARASOTA COUNTY
- SUMTER COUNTY is not in a designated evacuation zone because it is an interior county.
SHELTERS BY COUNTY
- CITRUS COUNTY
- DESOTO COUNTY
- HARDEE COUNTY
- HERNANDO COUNTY
- HIGHLANDS COUNTY
- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
- MANATEE COUNTY
- PASCO COUNTY
- PINELLAS COUNTY
- POLK COUNTY
- SARASOTA COUNTY
- SUMTER COUNTY
CONTACTS BY COUNTY
- CITRUS COUNTY: (352) 249-2775 (this phone line is only open during emergencies or disasters)
- DESOTO COUNTY: (863)-993-4831
- HARDEE COUNTY: (863) 773-6373
- HERNANDO COUNTY: (352) 754-4083
- HIGHLANDS COUNTY: (863) 385-1112
- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY: (813) 272-6600
- MANATEE COUNTY: (941) 749-3500
- PASCO COUNTY: (727) 847-8137
- PINELLAS COUNTY: (727) 464-4333
- POLK COUNTY: (863) 519-7320
- SARASOTA COUNTY: (941) 861-5000
- SUMTER COUNTY: (352) 689-4400
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