JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With two named storms already, the hurricane season has gotten off to quite a busy start. While an early start to the season does not indicate it will be a more active season, all long term forecasts from NOAA to Colorado State University’s do predict a higher than average number of hurricanes this year.
Officials always urge us to prepare for a possible hurricane early, but this year they emphasize buying hurricane supplies well before the threat of a storm because of the strained supply chain from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recommended Videos
News4Jax and your neighborhood ACE Hardware locations continue their partnership to help you get ready for the next storm and save money on hurricane supplies. For the month of June, which is Hurricane Preparedness Month, you can save 20% on items on our Build-A-Kit That Fits checklist.
We know that what you need to be prepared for a storm differs from what your neighbor may need, that is why we launched the Build-A-Kit partnership. You can look at our list and decide what is right for your hurricane kit, based on where you live, if you plan to evacuate, and what your storm time needs are.
You might notice that there are items on the Build-A-Kit That Fits checklist that you don’t see on traditional hurricane supply checklists, like rope, a tub stopper and tie-down materials. Through News4Jax’s partnership with your neighborhood ACE Hardware stores, we found the best selling items before, during, and after a hurricane weren’t on those traditional lists.
There is extra incentive to buy your supplies early: From Friday through next Thursday, Florida has a sales tax holiday for hurricane supplies. On certain items that are on both the Build-A-Kit checklist and the Florida Sales Tax Holiday list, you can save 20% at your neighborhood ACE and the 7% sales tax.
Below is the list of qualifying purchases for the Florida Sales Tax Holiday. We’ve added an * to items that are also on the Build-A-Kit list where you could potentially save the 20% discount plus the 7% sales tax.
Florida sales tax holiday qualifying items
Qualifying Items Selling for $10 or less:
- Reusable ice (reusable ice packs)
Selling for $20 or less:
Any portable, self-powered light source (powered by battery, solar, hand-crank, or gas):
- Candles
- Flashlights*
- Lanterns*
Selling for $25 or less:
- Any gas or diesel fuel container, including LP gas and kerosene containers* (As long as they meet the $25 or less criteria)
Selling for $30 or less:
- Batteries*, including rechargeable batteries, listed sizes only (excluding automobile and boat batteries):
- AAA-cell, AA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, and 9-volt
- Coolers and ice chests (food-storage; nonelectrical)
Selling for $50 or less:
- Bungee cords*
- Ground anchor systems*
- Radios (powered by battery, solar or hand-crank) Two-way or Weather band
- Ratchet straps*
- Tarpaulins (tarps)*
- Tie-down kits*
- Visqueen, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths and other flexible waterproof sheeting*
Selling for $750 or less:
Portable generators used to provide light or communications, or to preserve food in the event of a power outage