Preparing for hurricane season in SWFL

Published: Updated:

Hurricane season begins in less than 24 hours, and so does the disaster sales tax holiday.

That means starting Saturday, you will have 14 days to stock up on anything you need and not have to pay sales tax.

Generators, flashlights, pet food, the whole nine yards are all tax-free.

State and local leaders used the week to remind people about the importance of being ready.

They also say to take photos of your home now and document the time and date in case of another emergency, so you are prepared with evidence for any insurance claims.

We spoke to Scott Hamblen, chief operating officer at Sunshine Ace Hardware.

“In Florida, you have to have some backup waters, canned food, can openers. Also, if you have an electric can opener that does work when the electricity goes off,” he said. “You are also gonna want some staples like batteries, flashlights so you can see when the lights go out, and then you’re gonna want something to keep your food cold, so you have it for a while.”

If you have been through multiple hurricanes or this is your first one, you have the opportunity to come shop for the free tax holiday this weekend.

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