JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Once you hear a storm is coming, it’s often too late to stock up on the materials needed to be prepared.
“Things fly off the shelves in a heartbeat, and no matter how many we stock up ahead of time, we will be cleaned out within a few days,” Doug Kreie of Hagan Ace Mandarin explained on Saturday.
That’s why it’s best to plan ahead. The Atlantic Hurricane Season starts on June 1.
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Kreie, the general manager of the Hagan Ace Hardware in Mandarin, outlined for Action News Jax the essentials needed for hurricane kits, as well as how much it’ll cost to be ready in case of disaster.
“For your basic items, for flashlights, batteries, maybe a weather radio, toilet paper, water, those things can add up quickly,” Kreie highlighted. “But about $100 to $200 should get most kits fulfilled.”
Beyond those everyday household essentials, Kreie said one of the items needed for hurricane preparedness and that they typically see fly off the shelves first: gasoline cans.
Kreie said those gasoline cans can go a long way in helping make sure you’re not stuck waiting at the pump when it comes time to evacuate.
“Last year it was several hundred gas cans in just a few days [that we sold,] and we couldn’t get ‘em fast enough,” Kreie said. “And we already had a good stock.”
Maritzha Rivera-Clapp spoke to Action News Jax while shopping at the Ace on Saturday, and reminded us not to forget about those furry friends.
“You forget about the pets until the time comes,” River-Clapp explained. “You need to make sure you have a plan for the pets, whether a shelter or a family friend that lives in a different part of town, prepare for your pets and have water and food for everybody in the house.”
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