It's October, and if you live in Florida, you know the drill — or you should. Hurricane season runs through November 30, and some of the most destructive storms in state history arrived in October. The calendar says fall. The Gulf says otherwise. If you coasted through summer thinking you'd "get around to it," this is your friendly nudge: there's still time, and a focused weekend gets your family ready.
Here are ten steps, in order of importance, built for Florida families.
1. Water: One Gallon Per Person Per Day
The rule is simple and non-negotiable: one gallon per person per day, for at least three days — a family of four needs 12 gallons minimum, and a week is better. Don't wait for a warning to buy it; store shelves empty in hours. Fill bathtubs when a storm is forecast (for flushing and washing, not drinking), and keep a water filter as backup. If you're on a well, remember: no power means no pump.
2. Food That Survives a Dead Fridge
Stock a week's worth of food that needs no refrigeration and minimal preparation: canned meats and beans, peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, dried fruit, powdered milk. A cooler with ice buys your fridge contents about 24 hours — eat the perishables first, and when in doubt, throw it out. A camp stove with fuel (used outdoors only, never inside) turns canned food into hot meals.
3. Make a Power Outage Plan
Assume you'll lose power — most Florida hurricanes knock it out for days. Charge everything before landfall: phones, battery banks, lanterns. Know where your flashlights are (one per bedroom beats one for the house). Set the fridge to its coldest setting the night before. And decide now: at what point do you leave for somewhere with power?
4. Generator Safety: 20 Feet, Outside, Always
Generators save lives and end them. Carbon monoxide from a generator kills more people after hurricanes than the storms themselves. The rules are absolute:
- Never run a generator inside, in a garage, or near windows — 20+ feet from the house, exhaust pointed away.
- Let it cool before refueling. Store fuel in approved containers, outside, away from the house.
- Install battery-powered CO detectors on every floor — and test them now.
- Use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords. Never backfeed into wall outlets.
5. Know Your Evacuation Zone and Route
Florida's evacuation zones are based on storm surge, not wind — find yours now at your county emergency management site, not when the order comes. Know at least two routes out (interstates clog; state roads and the Turnpike are alternatives), and know that contraflow plans can change them. Fill your gas tank when a storm enters the Gulf — stations run dry days before landfall.
6. Pick Your Rally Points
If your family gets separated — or if phones die — where do you meet? Pick three: one just outside your home (a neighbor's yard), one outside your neighborhood (a school or church parking lot), and one outside your town (a relative's house or a landmark). Write them down. Put a copy in every go-bag and one on the fridge. Kids old enough to read should know all three.
7. Documents in a Waterproof Bag
Flood water doesn't care about your filing cabinet. Seal copies of IDs, insurance policies (homeowners and flood — they're separate), prescriptions, pet vaccination records, and emergency contacts in a waterproof bag or container. Photograph everything and keep copies on a USB drive and in cloud storage. After the storm, you'll need these before anything feels normal again.
8. Have a Pet Plan
Most Florida counties open pet-friendly shelters, but they require proof of vaccination and a carrier — no carrier, no entry. Pack 72 hours of pet food, water, medications, and a leash. Never leave pets behind to "ride it out"; if it's not safe for you, it's not safe for them. Microchip your pets now, while there's no rush.
9. Decide Early: Stay or Go
The stay-or-go decision should be made before the forecast cone tightens, not during it. Go if: you're in an evacuation zone, in a mobile or manufactured home, in a flood-prone area, or you depend on powered medical equipment. Stay only if: you're outside evacuation zones, in a sturdy home, above flood level, and stocked for a week without power. Once sustained winds reach 40 mph, emergency crews stop responding — make your decision with that clock in mind.
10. Post-Storm Safety
The storm passing doesn't mean the danger passed:
- Stay out of floodwater. It hides downed power lines, sewage, and sharp debris. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
- Assume every downed line is live. Report them; don't touch them or anything touching them.
- Chainsaw safety: most post-hurricane ER visits are chainsaw injuries. Chaps, eye protection, and a buddy — or hire it out.
- Watch for heat illness during cleanup with no AC — water, shade, and rest breaks.
- Document damage with photos before cleanup for insurance claims.
The Calm Family Wins
Here's the truth about hurricanes: they're the most forecastable disaster on earth. You get days of warning — more than almost any other emergency gives you. Families who use those days well come through fine. Families who wait until the warning becomes a watch become the people fighting over the last case of water.
You're reading this in October. The season isn't over. Spend one weekend on this list, and you'll sleep better through every storm the Gulf sends your way.
Go Deeper
Want the full playbook? Our illustrated ebook "Emergency Situations Handbook" (Book 9 of the Patriot Skills Library) dedicates entire chapters to hurricane prep — including a Gulf Coast section, evacuation planning with rally points, stay-or-go decision frameworks, power outage survival, and age-specific guidance for talking your kids through the scary parts. Fifteen chapters covering every disaster type, calm and practical throughout.
Now $10.39 (regularly $12.99) — instant PDF download, yours forever. Use code SKILLS20 for 20% off the ebooks through October 31. Get the full Patriot Skills Library here — all 9 illustrated guides, or the complete 9-book bundle (now $63.99, regularly $79.99).
Gift idea for the family planner: See 72-Hour Go-Bag Checklist, Prepper Printables and Gifts for Dad. Printed gifts arrive by Christmas with US standard shipping when ordered by December 11; ebooks and printables download instantly.