What are you doing to prepare for hurricane season?

That’s the question I proposed to people walking around the St. Johns Town Center the morning of Tuesday, May 22.

The most common answer I got was, “Nothing.”  Most people didn’t seem to be taking it seriously at this point in the year.   Others found it comical that I was talking about hurricane preparations in the middle of May.  Preparing before the season starts is highly recommended, as it can save you time, money, and patience.

One woman said her family waits until there’s a storm to prepare.

“If it’s a low category storm, I’m not really gonna bother,” said Darnell, a 22-year-old Jacksonville man.

Rainy, a young Jacksonville teenager, told me her family waits until a storm comes because they don’t want to be left with “all this stuff” if they don’t end up using their supplies.

It’s recommended that you stock up anyway.  If you wait until a storm is coming to prepare, you may not be able to get everything you need in time.  You may also be stuck in long lines at the store which robs you of time to prepare.

It’s also recommended that you buy supplies and prepare for the season before it comes.

Luckily, the second most common answer I got is buying canned food and water.

“Beans particularly because it’s protein,” said Joan, a 45-year-old Jacksonville woman. “Every time it’s buy one get one free, I stock up on all the vegetables with the easy flip-off top that you don’t have to have a can opener for.”

WOKV’s preparation guide recommends the following as the most essential foods to have: couscous and five-minute rice, salsa (or chunky pasta sauce), ramen noodles, shelf-stable bacon, hard sausages, single-serve condiments, pouches of cooked tuna, pouches of salmon, pouches of chicken, shelf-stable milk, shelf-stable cheese, canned potatoes, canned beans, canned veggies, individual puddings, and fruit cups.

Boiling water is the best recommended method for cooking those foods.

Barbara, another Jacksonville woman, says she always makes sure her family has flashlights, batteries, and water.  She considers those the most important, and they’re posted on WOKV.com’s list of necessary supplies too.

Jerry, an older Jacksonville man, says he plans on pulling his boat out of the water, locking his house down, and going to Santa Barbara.

“I go there for three months,” Jerry said.  “I get out of the heat.  If hurricane season happens to happen, that’s good too.”

For those with pools, it’s recommended that you “super-chlorinate” or double the chemicals to reduce contamination and infestation by insects.

Bella told me she keeps her chemicals balanced “because that’s your shower.  It could be a shower for a week.”

Lauren, a 33-year-old Jacksonville woman, says she’s “stocking up on alcohol.  You’re thirsty and nothing helps with summer like a cold beer when you don’t have any electricity or TV.”

Buying alcohol is not recommended, as it dehydrates your body and can only increase your risk of having health complications when you’re living off your emergency food supply.

Nobody mentioned getting extra cash out of the ATM or checking their fire extinguishers.  These are both important preparation steps before the season comes. 

You should also make sure to fill your car’s gas tank, and check the water and oil.  Make sure you have a spare tire and buy aerosol kits that fix and inflate flats.  Sometimes gas stations will run out when a storm threatens.  Other times they run out of power to run the pumps.

A very important thing to remember when a severe storm is approaching: follow the news.

The weather reports will give you the latest information as to the path, strength, and dangers of the storm that’s approaching.

WOKV is dedicated to being Jacksonville’s number one news, traffic, and weather station.  When severe storms are coming, the team goes into “emergency mode” and focuses on covering all angles of the storm to ensure everyone’s safety.

If you need to review the best recommended ways to prepare for the season and to prepare for a storm when it’s coming, click HERE to check out WOKV’s hurricane preparation guide.