Florida’s disaster preparedness sales tax holiday is upon us. Here’s what to know
Florida’s first sales tax holiday is set to take place Saturday to coincide with the start of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
This holiday is referred to as Florida’s disaster preparedness sales tax holiday and runs from June 1-14.
This is the perfect time to start building or restocking your hurricane kit, especially as forecasters expect a “hyperactive” hurricane season.
Here’s what to know.
What emergency supplies are tax free?
Under a new bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Tuesday, Florida will have two hurricane preparedness tax-free weekends. The first will take black from June 1-14, just at the start of hurricane season. The second will take place from Aug. 24 - Sept. 6.
Here’s what it includes:
Self-powered lights of $40 or less.
Portable self-powered radio, two-way radio or weather-band radio of $50 or less.
A tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting with a sales price of $100 or less.
An item normally sold as, or generally advertised as, a ground anchor system or tie-down kit with a sales price of $100 or less.
A gas or diesel fuel tank with a sales price of $50 or less.
A package of AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries, with a sales price of $50 or less.
A nonelectric food storage cooler with a sales price of $60 or less.
A portable generator used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage with a sales price of $3,000 or less.
Reusable ice with a sales price of $20 or less.
A portable power bank with a sales price of $60 or less.
A smoke detector or smoke alarm with a sales price of $70 or less.
A fire extinguisher with a sales price of $70 or less.
A carbon monoxide detector with a sales price of $70 or less.
2024 is expected to be extremely active hurricane season
Every prediction issued for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has agreed: this season will be very active. Most forecasts call for more than double the average number of storms.
The National Hurricane Center released its season predictions May 23. The agency is predicting 17-25 named storms, eight to 13 hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes.
How many could hit Florida? Colorado State University forecasters looked at hurricane tracks from 1880 to 2020 and predicted there's a 96% chance Florida could be impacted by a named storm in 2024.
Hurricane preparedness tips
The Florida Division of Emergency Management provided several low- or no-cost tips for preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.
Make a plan: Create an emergency plan known to everyone in your household. The plan should cater to everyone’s specific needs, including kids, pets and seniors. Plans should include a list of personal needs and resources. You should plan for at least seven days of supplies. It should include important contact information, need-to-know information that could be useful in case of an emergency, an evacuation route and more.
Build a kit: Part of those plans should include an emergency kit. Emergency kits should include enough non-perishable foods and water to last at least seven days for each family member. This should also include extra medication and personal documents.
Make sure you sign up for emergency and weather alerts: When a storm is on the way, the news will be flooded with information, but it can be hard to stay abreast of all the updates. Ensure you are signed up for weather alerts from local officials and sources to keep you informed.
Know your zone: In the case of major hurricanes, it’s important to know what evacuation zone you live in and what your evacuation routes are, especially if you live in a mobile home or a flood-prone area.
Keep your gas tanks half full: Anyone living in an area with an approaching storm should ensure they keep their gas tanks half full. This will help ensure you have enough gas to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida first tax-free weekend is here. Here’s what to buy