ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s been a while since Central Florida has felt the direct impacts of a hurricane, which means your emergency kit built in years past has likely collected some cobwebs.
No worries, those can always be dusted off and most of the items in your hurricane kit are probably still in good shape. Some items, however, have likely expired and will need to be replaced.
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If you’re building one from scratch or just want to make sure you still have everything you need ahead of a potential disaster, click here for a downloadable checklist of items to include in your hurricane kit.
[DOWNLOAD: News 6 Hurricane Preparedness Checklist | GET PREPARED: These are the best hurricane kits money can buy]
If you’re just looking to revamp an old storm kit, here’s a list of items you should check for expiration dates:
- food
- baby formula
- pet food
- water
- batteries
- first aid supplies
- medication
If you’ve added any other perishable items to your kit, go ahead and check the expiration dates on those items and replace them as needed.
You’ll want to make sure none of the items listed above have an expiration date before Nov. 30, which marks the official end to the Atlantic hurricane season. If they do, go ahead and replace those items with newer ones.
You should also be sure that your family’s set of important documents is up to date and properly stored in a waterproof container, according to FloridaDisaster.org.
Once your kit is updated, it’s important to maintain it to make sure it’s ready if and when you need to use it.
Here are some tips to maintain your emergency kit, courtesy of Ready.gov:
- Keep canned food in a cool, dry place.
- Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
- Replace expired items as needed.
- Rethink your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.
In the event of an emergency, it’s not only important to have supplies handy but also a plan. You can use this tool to build a custom emergency plan that best suits your personal needs.
For more tips to plan and prepare for storm season, visit ClickOrlando.com/Hurricane.