Florida averages 1–2 hurricane landfalls every 3 years — and every Florida homeowner needs a real preparedness plan, not just bottled water and a flashlight. This checklist covers what experienced Florida residents actually do before, during, and after a major storm.
Pre-Season Preparation (May–June)
The best hurricane prep happens before storm season starts — not when a storm is 48 hours out:
- Review your insurance policies: Confirm your homeowners policy includes windstorm coverage (some Florida policies exclude it, requiring a separate Wind policy). Verify your flood insurance is current — standard homeowners policies never cover flood damage. Know your deductibles — Florida hurricane deductibles are typically 2–5% of your home's insured value, not a flat dollar amount.
- Inventory your home: Take a room-by-room video walkthrough of your home and belongings and store it in the cloud (Google Drive, iCloud). This is your insurance claim documentation if you lose everything.
- Test your generator: Run it under load for 30 minutes. Change the oil if it's due. Stock fuel stabilizer if you use gasoline storage. For whole-home standby generators, schedule the annual service now — not in October.
- Inspect your roof: Missing shingles, lifted flashing, or compromised ridge caps need to be fixed before a storm, not during. A roof inspection ($150–$300) is cheap insurance.
- Service your shutters: Test accordion or roll-down shutters on every opening. Lubricate tracks. Replace broken locks. Identify any openings that need panel shutters and locate/organize all panels.
- Know your evacuation zone: Florida uses Zones A–F (A being highest risk). Find your zone at floridadisaster.org. Know your local evacuation route before you need it.
Your Florida Hurricane Supply List
FEMA recommends 72 hours of supplies. Florida experienced hands recommend 2 weeks. For a family of four:
- Water: 1 gallon per person per day × 14 days = 56 gallons minimum. Fill your bathtub with a WaterBOB bladder ($30) for emergency water storage.
- Food: Non-perishable items that don't require cooking: canned goods, shelf-stable meals, peanut butter, crackers. Manual can opener.
- Power: Fully charged power banks, battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA weather radio), extra batteries. A solar charger for phones is increasingly practical.
- Documents: Waterproof bag with: insurance policies, passports/IDs, vehicle titles, mortgage documents, prescription information, emergency contacts.
- Medications: 30-day supply minimum. Florida pharmacies are overwhelmed post-storm — fill prescriptions before hurricane season.
- Cash: ATMs and card readers go down after a storm. Have $300–$500 in small bills.
- Tools: Chainsaw (with bar oil and fuel), tarps and tie-downs, battery-powered drill, work gloves, heavy-duty trash bags.
- First aid kit: Comprehensive kit plus a 3-day supply of any prescription medications.
72–48 Hours Before Landfall
When a storm track threatens your area, immediate priorities:
- Install all hurricane shutters or panels — this is the most important structural protection step.
- Fill your vehicles with gas. Gas stations run out within 24–36 hours of a major storm warning. Florida gas stations are required to have generator-capable pumps now, but lines will still be long.
- Fill propane tanks for your grill (post-storm cooking when power is out).
- Move outdoor furniture, decorations, and anything that can become a projectile inside or secured.
- Back up computers and important digital files to the cloud or an external drive you take with you.
- Charge all devices, power banks, and the generator battery starter.
- Freeze water in containers to extend refrigerator and cooler cold storage after power loss.
- If in an evacuation zone, leave early — do not wait for mandatory orders if you have means to go.
During the Storm
- Stay indoors and away from windows — even impact-rated windows can fail in Category 4–5 conditions.
- Interior rooms on the lowest floor (not basement — Florida has no basements) are safest. A bathroom or closet near the center of the house is ideal.
- Monitor NWS and local emergency management via NOAA weather radio or battery-powered AM/FM.
- Do not go outside during the eye of the storm — the other eyewall will arrive quickly and is often as strong as the first.
- If flooding begins, move to a higher floor. Do not attempt to drive through flood water — 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down; 12 inches can carry a vehicle.
After the Storm: First 48 Hours
- Do not run generators indoors — carbon monoxide kills more Floridians post-hurricane than the storm itself. Generators must be at least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent.
- Document all damage immediately with photos and video before any cleanup or repairs — your insurance adjuster needs this.
- Contact your homeowners insurance company within 24 hours to open a claim, even if you're not sure of the full extent of damage.
- Be extremely cautious of standing water — it may be electrified from downed power lines, and Florida floodwater carries sewage, chemicals, and bacteria.
- Beware of post-storm contractor scams — unlicensed roofers and contractors flood into Florida after major storms. Verify licenses through DBPR before signing any contract, and never pay more than 10% down upfront.
Home Hardening: What Actually Protects a Florida Home
Long-term investments that meaningfully reduce hurricane risk — and earn insurance discounts:
- Impact windows and doors: Single largest protective upgrade. Tested to withstand Category 4–5 wind-driven rain. Insurance discount: 15–40% on wind premium.
- Roof-to-wall connectors (hurricane straps): Metal connectors in the attic that tie the roof structure to the wall — most homes built before 2002 lack adequate connectors. Inspection and retrofit: $800–$2,500. Potential insurance savings: significant.
- Hip roof vs. gable roof: Hip roofs (sloped on all 4 sides) perform dramatically better in hurricanes than gable roofs. Not retrofittable, but worth knowing when buying.
- Whole-home standby generator: Doesn't prevent storm damage but dramatically improves post-storm livability — keeps AC, refrigerator, medical equipment, and security systems running.