09/05/2026
Here are 5 less obvious hurricane preparations that can make a huge difference in Florida, especially around Palm Coast where flooding, wind and extended power outages can all become problems:
🌀 1. Fill your washing machine with ice
Before the storm, clean your washing machine and fill it with bags of ice. The insulated tub can function as a large temporary cooler for food and drinks. When the ice melts, you can use the water for flushing toilets or other non drinking purposes.
🚽 2. Store water specifically for flushing
People stock drinking water but often forget toilets. Fill bathtubs, large buckets and containers before the storm. If water service is interrupted, you can pour water directly into the toilet bowl to trigger a flush.
🔥 3. Prepare an outdoor cooking backup
Have a propane grill, camp stove or other outdoor cooking method ready before the storm. The important part is having enough fuel and knowing how to use it beforehand.
Never use a grill, generator or camp stove inside your home or garage. Carbon monoxide can become deadly very quickly.
🧊 4. Freeze water in every container you can
Freeze plastic bottles and food storage containers filled with water before the storm. They become giant ice packs that can help keep your refrigerator and freezer cold if the power goes out.
A particularly useful trick is freezing several containers completely full, then placing them throughout the freezer. A full freezer stays cold considerably longer than an empty one.
📱 5. Make your own “emergency internet”
If you have multiple phones, tablets or laptops, download important information before the storm:
• Offline Google Maps
• Insurance policies
• Home and auto documents
• Important phone numbers
• Medical information
• Emergency contacts
• Local evacuation maps
• Important family photos/documents
And download entertainment for the kids too. Old school dvd players are a great option if you have a generator 😄
If cellular service becomes unreliable, having everything stored locally means you’re not dependent on the internet to access critical information.
Bonus Florida trick: Put your important documents, spare keys, medications and small electronics into a waterproof dry bag or sealed plastic container and keep it somewhere high inside the house. Hurricanes don’t just cause wind damage. Storm surge and flooding can destroy things that are perfectly safe from the wind.
