Hurricane Preparedness Checklist (Printable PDF 2026)

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This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission if you buy through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend gear I have personally tested.

I learned about hurricane prep the hard way.

In 2022, a Category 2 made landfall 40 miles from my house in Florida. I had flashlights, a few cans of soup, and the vague confidence of someone who had “been through storms before.” Power went out at 11pm. It came back 9 days later.

By day three I had thrown out $340 worth of groceries. By day five I was driving 45 minutes each way to find a gas station that still had fuel. By day nine I understood — for the first time — what it actually means to be prepared.

Since then I’ve spent 73 days field-testing emergency power equipment and building out a prep system that doesn’t fail. This checklist is that system, translated into something you can print out and work through before the next storm forms in the Gulf.

The one thing FEMA gets wrong: their standard 72-hour recommendation assumes the grid comes back in three days. In major hurricanes, the average outage in hard-hit areas is 8–12 days. Plan for 7 minimum. Plan for 14 if you’re in a mobile home or coastal flood zone.

📋 The Complete Hurricane Preparedness Checklist

Print this. Put it in your hurricane kit. Go through it every June.

✅ Water Supply

The math is simple and non-negotiable: 1 gallon per person per day, 7-day minimum.

• 7 gallons per person stored in sealed containers (14 gallons recommended)
• Water purification tablets (backup if storage runs out)
• Manual hand-pump water filter (LifeStraw or Sawyer Squeeze)
• Extra water for pets (1 quart per 20 lbs of pet weight per day)
• Fill bathtub with WaterBOB liner 48 hours before landfall (100 gallon backup)
• Know your nearest water distribution point if municipal water fails

Don’t forget: A standard WaterBOB holds 100 gallons and costs $30. It’s the best emergency water investment most people never make. For a full breakdown of how long outages typically last by storm category, see how long do power outages last.

✅ Food Supply (7-Day Minimum)

• Canned proteins: tuna, chicken, sardines, beans (at least 14 servings per person)
• Canned vegetables and fruit (no-sugar-added preferred)
• Peanut butter (high calorie, no refrigeration required, 2-year shelf life)
• Crackers, granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit
• Instant oatmeal, instant rice, instant mashed potatoes
• Manual can opener (two — they break)
• Paper plates, plastic utensils, trash bags
• Comfort foods: coffee, hot sauce, candy — morale matters on day six
• Baby formula or special dietary needs supplies (30-day buffer)
• Pet food (7-day supply minimum)

Pro tip from field testing: Rotate your emergency food stock every 12 months. Eat it, replace it. Nothing worse than cracking open a can labeled 2019 when you’re hungry and stressed.

✅ Power Backup — The Category Most People Underestimate

This is where most hurricane prep fails. A box of candles and a flashlight is not a power plan.

Lighting:

• LED headlamps per person (hands-free is essential — get 2 per adult)
• Battery-powered lanterns (3 minimum for a 3-bedroom home)
• Extra AA/AAA/D batteries (more than you think — 3x what’s needed)
• Glow sticks for kids

Charging and Communication Power:

• Portable power bank (20,000+ mAh per phone — enough for 4–5 full charges)
• Hand-crank or solar emergency radio (receives NOAA weather alerts)
• Car charger for phones as backup

Serious Power Backup (Refrigerator, CPAP, Medical Devices):

• Solar generator with 1,000Wh+ capacity (runs a fridge for 8–10 hours on a full charge)
• 200W+ portable solar panel to recharge during daytime
• Know your devices’ watt draw before the storm (use a Kill A Watt meter)

I tested a EcoFlow DELTA 2 through a 9-day simulated outage. With a 220W panel, I could keep a 18 cu ft refrigerator running through the day and recharge overnight. No fuel, no fumes, no noise. If you have medications that require refrigeration or run a CPAP, a solar generator is not optional — it’s medical equipment.

🏆 Quick Comparison: Solar Generators for Hurricane Prep

👉 See my full solar generator recommendations →

What size do you need?

• Phone charging + lights only: 300Wh power station ($150–$250)
• Refrigerator + fans + device charging: 1,000–1,500Wh ($400–$700)
• Full household critical loads: 2,000Wh+ ($800–$1,500)

✅ First Aid and Medical

• First aid kit (bandages, gauze, antiseptic, medical tape, tweezers)
• Prescription medications: 30-day emergency supply (ask your doctor in May, before season)
• OTC medications: ibuprofen, acetaminophen, antihistamines, antidiarrheal, antacids
• Medical devices fully charged: CPAP, nebulizer, hearing aid batteries
• Medical records copies in waterproof bag or uploaded to cloud
• Thermometer, blood pressure cuff if needed
• Contact lenses + extra glasses + saline solution

✅ Documents and Financial Preparedness

• Copies of IDs: driver’s license, passport, birth certificates, Social Security cards
• Insurance policies: home, auto, health, flood — policy numbers highlighted
• Proof of address (utility bill, mortgage statement)
• Bank account information + $300–$500 cash in small bills (ATMs go offline)
• Vehicle titles, deed or lease agreement
• All documents in a waterproof bag or fireproof box
• Cloud backup: scan everything and email to yourself or store in Google Drive

Critical: If you have to evacuate and your house is destroyed, these documents are how you prove who you are and what you owned. A $15 waterproof document bag is a thousand-dollar decision.

✅ Communication Plan

• Out-of-state contact person designated (local lines jam during disasters — out-of-state calls often get through)
• Everyone in household knows the contact’s number by heart (not just in their phone)
• Meeting point designated if family is separated
• NOAA weather radio programmed with local codes
• Neighborhood notification: exchange phone numbers with 2–3 neighbors
• Know your local emergency alert system (sign up at your county emergency management website)
• Whistle attached to bag in case of being trapped

✅ Evacuation Readiness

• Know your evacuation zone (A, B, C — find yours at your county’s emergency management site)
• Two evacuation routes mapped: primary and backup
• Destination planned: hotel reservation or family/friend location (book early — they fill up)
• Tank always above half-full from June 1 through November 30
• Go-bag packed and by the door (see below)
• Pet carriers, leashes, and copies of vet records
• Know which shelters accept pets (most don’t — plan ahead)

✅ The Go-Bag (72-Hour Evacuation Kit)

If you have 20 minutes to leave, this bag goes with you.

• 3-day water supply (3 liters per person minimum)
• 3-day food supply (calorie-dense, no cooking required)
• Change of clothes per person + rain poncho
• Medications (7-day supply)
• Phone charger + 20,000mAh power bank
• Waterproof document bag (copy of everything above)
• Cash ($200 minimum in small bills)
• First aid kit (compact version)
• Headlamp per person
• N95 masks (3 per person — useful for mold exposure after flooding)
• Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife
• Local paper maps (GPS fails, cell towers go down)
• Comfort items for children: small toy, favorite snack, familiar blanket

Weight target: Keep your go-bag under 30 lbs. A heavy bag you won’t grab is worse than a light bag you will.

✅ Home Preparation (48–72 Hours Before Landfall)

• Board windows or install hurricane shutters
• Bring in all outdoor furniture, potted plants, decorations (wind turns these into projectiles)
• Clear gutters and downspouts
• Fill vehicles with gas (stations run out 24–36 hours before landfall)
• Fill WaterBOB in bathtub
• Charge all devices, power banks, and solar generators
• Freeze water bottles to fill refrigerator space (extends cold time by 24–48 hours)
• Take photos/video of all rooms and possessions (insurance documentation)
• Know your shutoff locations: gas, water, electricity

🍊 Florida-Specific Hurricane Prep Callout

🛠️ What to Do After the Storm

The checklist doesn’t end at landfall.

Immediately after the storm passes:

• Do not go outside until the National Weather Service confirms the storm has passed — the eye wall can fool you
• Check for gas leaks before turning on any electrical switches
• Do not use generators, grills, or camp stoves indoors — CO poisoning kills more people after hurricanes than the storm itself
• Document all damage with photos before touching anything (insurance)
• Do not drive through flooded roads — 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down, 12 inches can carry a vehicle

Food safety rule (and why the food last in fridge article matters):

• Refrigerator keeps food safe for 4 hours without power (keep door closed)
• Full freezer keeps food safe for 48 hours, half-full for 24 hours
• When in doubt, throw it out — food poisoning after a disaster is preventable

📥 Downloadable Hurricane Prep Resources

The 72-Hour Power Outage Survival Kit I built covers the power outage scenario in detail, including exactly how to size a solar generator for your specific appliances.

If you want a done-for-you kit with a printable checklist, appliance watt calculator, and a 7-day meal plan that requires zero refrigeration, the 72-Hour Power Outage Survival Kit has all of it.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I prepare for a hurricane?

Prepare your full kit in May or early June — before the season starts. Once a storm is named and tracking toward your area, stores sell out of water, batteries, and generators within 24–48 hours. The checklist above takes about 2–3 weeks to complete fully if you’re buying items gradually. Don’t wait for a storm to form.

What is the most important thing to have in a hurricane kit?

Water is the single most critical supply. You can survive days without food, but dehydration becomes dangerous within 24–48 hours, especially in Florida heat after a storm. Store 1 gallon per person per day for a minimum of 7 days. After water, reliable lighting and a way to charge medical devices or phones are the next priorities.

How long does a hurricane kit last?

Most emergency supply kits should be refreshed every 12 months. Check expiration dates on food, water (if stored in non-food-grade containers), medications, and batteries every June before hurricane season. A kit built in 2021 and never touched may have expired medications and dead batteries when you need it most.

Do I need a generator for a hurricane?

You need a power backup plan — the type depends on your needs. If you have medical devices (CPAP, oxygen concentrator, refrigerated medication), a solar generator with 1,000Wh+ capacity is strongly recommended. If you only need lighting and phone charging, a 20,000mAh power bank per person is sufficient. Gas generators work but require stored fuel, produce carbon monoxide, and cannot be used indoors. Solar generators have no fuel cost, no emissions, and no noise.

What does FEMA recommend for a hurricane kit?

FEMA’s official recommendation includes water (1 gallon/person/day for 3 days minimum), food (3-day supply of non-perishables), battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight, first aid kit, extra batteries, whistle, dust masks, plastic sheeting and duct tape, moist towelettes, garbage bags, wrench or pliers to shut off utilities, manual can opener, local maps, and a cell phone with chargers. Ethan Reynolds at ecoliving-journey.com recommends extending FEMA’s 3-day minimum to 7–14 days based on real-world post-hurricane outage data showing average outages of 8–12 days in major storm paths.

What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning?

A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours — this is when you should complete your preparation. A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours — this is when you should be executing your plan, not shopping. If an evacuation order is issued under a warning, leave immediately.

Should I evacuate or shelter in place during a hurricane?

It depends on your evacuation zone, your home’s construction, and the storm’s intensity. Residents in Zone A (storm surge zones) should always evacuate during Category 3+ storms. Residents in inland areas with well-constructed homes can often shelter in place for Category 1–2 storms. Never shelter in a mobile home regardless of storm category. Always follow mandatory evacuation orders — they are issued based on life-safety risk, not caution.

How much cash should I have in my hurricane kit?

Keep $300–$500 in small bills ($20s and smaller) in your kit. ATMs lose power during storms and can be out of service for days. Gas stations and stores that do reopen post-storm may only accept cash if their card readers are offline. Small bills matter because vendors often cannot make change during the chaos of post-storm operations.

Ethan Reynolds has spent 73 days field-testing solar generators and emergency power systems. He bought all equipment reviewed on this site with his own money. Last updated June 2026.