The cost behind hurricane preparedness

How to stay prepared, save money on hurricane supplies

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Emergency management officials across Florida and in Jacksonville, as well as the Red Cross, are continuing to remind people of the need to stay prepared for the threat of Tropical Storm Erika and other major storms by keeping supplies on hand in the event of an emergency.

The key message they want to get across is the need to keep three days' worth of supplies of hand so people can take care of themselves until first responders can get to victims.

But those supplies, everything from groceries, to water, flashlights and batteries, have a cost to them, and News4Jax looked into what it costs to stock up on those supplies and how people can save money while getting prepared.

The rain coming down outside of a Lakewood Winn-Dixie in Jacksonville, may have reminded residents of the need to stock up in case Tropical Storm Erika heads to Jacksonville.

"I'm just preparing in case we have a hurricane, or part of a hurricane coming here. So I want to be prepared," shopper Darryl Allmond said.

Allmond was buying four cases of water, just one of the many items Winn-Dixie assistant store director Patrick Fernandez said is always popular during a storm scare.

"They've been picking up a lot of water, a lot of batteries, bread. A lot of canned meat and canned items. Stuff that will last. Nonperishable items," Fernandez said.

News4Jax's Francesca Amiker went through Winn-Dixie to see what it would cost to put together a survival kit for a small family needing to weather the storm, including plenty of canned food, paper products, batteries and even pet food.

Depending on the size of the family, the cost of 3 days' worth of survival items can cost $100 or more, but there are ways to save, like looking for buy one, get one free deals in the store.

And in an effort to save, many families may be waiting until the last minute to avoid stocking up, but Fernandez said that that earlier people get their supplies, the better.

"We want to make sure that people come in early and get all their staple items that they need to be prepared for the hurricane. You want to be prepared and have a plan before the hurricane," Fernandez said.