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Hurricanes Katia, Irma, and Jose captured September 2017. {NOAA}

By Ryan Yousefi

As predicted, the 2020 Hurricane season is already off to a hot start. That means Parkland residents would be wise now to prepare for the inevitable rush to purchase hurricane supplies.

The emergence of Tropical Storm Cristobal in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday marked the earliest formation of a “C” storm in the record book. In what scientists predict to be an above-average season of activity in the tropics, it’s only a matter of time until the dreaded “cone of uncertainty,” points towards South Florida.

Here are ten things Parkland residents should be stocking up on now.

10. Buy Bottled Water

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You can buy bottled water right now. There is actually no official rule that you can only buy all of the bottled water when a hurricane is barreling towards South Florida.

You’re likely already going to the grocery store once a week anyway, so just get in the habit now of picking up two or three cases of bottled water on those trips.

9. Grab Some Extra Propane Gas

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No one really thinks about propane gas until they’re out of propane gas. If we’re being honest, most of us aren’t even sure if we’re out of propane gas until it’s pretty obvious. Now would be a fantastic time to buy a couple of back-up tanks. They’re easy to find now but require a scavenger hunt when a hurricane is on the way.

8. Fill Those Gasoline Tanks

{Luca Nardone}

Did you know gasoline stays good for up to six months? That means if you fill up a tank or two now you won’t need to worry about using it until after Thanksgiving.

Obviously, you can’t hold too much gas at your home, but enough to fill a generator or to get you out of South Florida if disaster hits can be safely kept on hand. Go get it now and skip the infamous massive lines later.

7. Get Some Batteries.

{Hilary Halliwell}

Seriously, just buy batteries right now. Open another browser page. Type in Amazon.com. Buy them. They’re good for a long time and you’ll probably need them anyway.

6. Load-Up On Essential Baby Items.

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There is already a shortage of certain items like the specific brand of baby diapers or wipes you normally use. Whatever you’re buying now, double it, that way you’ll have a stash ready for the baby’s bottom come an even bigger rush on baby essentials.

5. Buy Extra Toilet Paper While You Can.

{Anna Shvets}

Have you heard? Toilet paper is back in stock places. It’s crazy. Like, it’s right there. Buy a bunch of it now while it’s available. If there is anything 2020 has taught us is you should stock up on things we’ve taken for granted all these years.

4. Stock-Up On Non-Perishable Foods.

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Extra bags of rice and canned goods are always useful. When the time comes to make a mad dash to Publix with a hurricane on its way it would be nice to know your pantry is already stocked full of the basics, that way you can concentrate on more important things, like bottles of wine.

3. Get Some Flashlights and Candles.

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If you go into any Publix or Walmart right now, you’ll see a vast assortment of flashlight and candles. Every candle scent imaginable is likely available as we speak. Come go time when the news is covered with hurricane coverage you’ll be lucky to find a night light.

2. Buy an Important Document Holder.

Kwik Tek Dry PAK on Amazon.

This hurricane supply kit item often goes overlooked, but it’s super-important if you want to skip the headache of recreating your life post-hurricane damage. Finding a good waterproof document holder for things like your birth certificates, cash, and other items that can’t be easily replaced after a storm.

1. Create a Travel-Sized COVID-19 Supply Kit.

Men’s Travel Kit on Amazon.

As most of us are aware, COVID-19 is still a thing. It won’t just go away because a hurricane strikes. What makes that incredibly troubling is if residents are forced into a shelter situation during a storm that puts them at great risk.

Stock up now on everything you can think of to protect yourself and your family from infection. Make a COVID-19 travel kit that you can easily grab on the go. It may come in great handy later.

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Author Profile

Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.