SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Saturday, May 28: That’s the day Floridians can start buying hurricane supplies tax free.
At Ace Hardware in Sanford, workers were stocking up on things like batteries, flashlights and gas cans on Friday.
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“Batteries and flashlights. That’s always the number one thing: Batteries and flashlights,” Greg Parsell with Ace Hardware said.
New items were added to the list this year, including carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms and pet food weighing 15 pounds or less.
“These were things that were not on the list last year but anything that’s added to the list is worth looking at and taking advantage (of),” Parsell said.
The Florida Department of Revenue posted a Disaster Preparedness list online that breaks down prices of all the items included in this year’s sales tax holiday.
“It’s never too early to buy those things before they run out. With all the supply shortages we have, you never know what items will be the ones to run out early,” Parsell added.
Hurricane season starts June 1 and NOAA officials are predicting an “above normal” season, forecasting 14 to 21 storms this year.
To prepare, emergency officials in Seminole County held a hurricane drill earlier this week.
Fire Chief Matt Kinley explained during the drill that the majority of injuries happen after a hurricane hits.
“We get a lot of injuries and deaths post-storm. So, during and post storm when you start to lose electricity and you have those home generators, keep them away from your home. They need to be at least 15 or 20 feet away from your house,” Kinley said.
The Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday starts May 28 and goes through June 10.
For a full list of items covered during the sales tax holiday, click here.