It’s that magical time of year again when the sea takes another shot at washing South Florida away. Fortunately, we here in the Sunshine State know a few things about weathering seasonal superstorms but for new Palm Beach County residents (and for those perpetually underprepared), the City of Boca Raton has released a step-by-step guide to getting through the 2022 hurricane season unscathed.

Stock up on hurricane supplies

A strong hurricane preparedness list should consist of batteries, flashlights, non-electric food coolers, a portable generator and a portable power bank to keep cell phones charged. Gathering all of these items may seem a bit daunting cost-wise, but luckily Florida’s new tax holidays offer buyers a tax exemption on hurricane supplies for two weeks from May 28 to June 10.

Other tax-exemptible items include tarps, tie-down kits, ground anchors and select pet food items as well as leashes, pet beds, cat litter and more. There are no purchase limits on qualifying tax-exempt items, but let’s try and avoid another toilet paper debacle. For the complete list of tax-exempt hurricane supply items, click here.

This is crucial, particularly if you live near water or in low-lying areas. Be sure to have a plan in place for reaching evacuation zones in your area, a list of which can be found here for Palm Beach County residents.

Test your generators, supplies, and shutters

File this under the obvious. It’s all fine and good to have everything you need stocked and ready, but a faulty generator in a hurricane may as well be a giant metal lawn ornament so make sure you’ve got plenty of fuel and test your equipment.

Trim your trees and clean out your garages

Trimming back trees and branches away from power lines, buildings and homes reduces the risk of power outages and property damage. The City of Boca Raton urges residents to not wait until a storm is named to complete this work. Boca is not providing additional bulk trash pick-up days, so getting this done early ensures sanitation services will not be overwhelmed and that all debris can be cleared before a storm hits. Thinning foliage also helps to ensure that strong winds will blow through trees and reduces the risk of them being uprooted.

Clean out your garage of disposable items to make space for generators and other supplies and also make sure to clear your property of any items you don’t want blowing into your neighbor’s living room. For more on hurricane debris management, click here.

To learn more about the different ways you can stay connected before, during and after a storm, visit the City’s website. To sign up for Alert Boca text notifications from the City and Boca Raton Police, click here.