Hurricane Prep Checklist for Your Coastal Volusia Home (2026)

If you live anywhere from Ormond Beach down through Port Orange, New Smyrna, and Edgewater, you already know the drill: the cone shows up, the stores empty out, and the stuff you actually need is the stuff that's already gone. After years living and selling homes on this coast, I've learned the only prep that works is the prep you do before the season gets busy — not the week a storm is named.

Here's the checklist I'd hand a neighbor. It's built for a Florida coastal home specifically — power loss, water, wind, and the cleanup after — and I've linked the gear so you can knock most of it out in one sitting.

Heads up: some links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only point to gear I'd actually tell a neighbor to buy.

1. Power — the thing you'll miss first

Outages here can run hours to days. You've got two routes:

• A portable power station (battery, runs indoors, silent — great for phones, fans, CPAP, a fridge in short bursts), or
• A portable inverter generator for longer outages and bigger loads. Never run a gas generator indoors or in a garage — carbon monoxide kills people every storm season. Outside, away from windows, only.
• Either way, grab a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord so you can actually reach what you're powering.

2. Light and information

• A NOAA hand-crank emergency weather radio — when the power and cell towers go, this is how you keep getting alerts. The hand-crank/solar ones double as a charger.
• A multipack of LED flashlights — spread them through the house so there's always one within reach.
• A battery bank to keep your phone alive, and a big battery variety pack for everything else.
• A rechargeable battery-powered fan — no power means no AC, and a Florida night without airflow is rough.

3. Water and food

The rule of thumb is one gallon of water per person per day, for at least 7 days. Don't count on tap water staying safe.

• Refillable water storage containers (fill them before the storm) or stock long-shelf-life emergency drinking water.
• Water purification tablets as backup.
• A manual can opener — the number of people with canned food and no way to open it is genuinely funny until it's you.
• A good cooler to stretch your fridge food once the power's out.

4. Safety and the home itself

• A real first-aid kit and a home fire extinguisher.
• Heavy-duty tarps for a roof leak, and water-activated flood bags for low doorways and garages.
• Heavy-duty tape for fast patching.

5. The part nobody preps for: cleanup

The storm leaves; the water and debris stay. Have it on hand before, because this is the second wave of empty shelves:

• Heavy-duty contractor trash bags and work gloves.
• A wet/dry shop vacuum for the water that gets in — and on this coast, some always does.

A quick word on your home itself

Gear handles the days around a storm. Your home is the bigger exposure — and on this coast, two things drive both your safety and your insurance bill: your roof age and your flood zone. If you're not sure where your home stands on either — or you're thinking about buying or selling and want to know how storm risk affects value — that's exactly the kind of thing I help Volusia homeowners sort out with real local numbers.

👉 Wondering what your coastal home is worth in today's market? Get a free, no-obligation home value report →

Frequently asked questions

When should I buy hurricane supplies in Florida?
Before June. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and the shelves thin out the moment a storm is named. Buying early means you actually get what you need — and you're not paying storm-week prices.

How much water should I store for a hurricane?
Plan on one gallon per person per day for at least seven days, plus extra for pets. Fill storage containers before the storm in case the tap water becomes unsafe.

Do I need a generator or is a battery power station enough?
A battery power station is quieter, runs safely indoors, and covers phones, fans, and small medical devices for a day or two. For multi-day outages or running a full fridge, a gas generator does more — just never run it indoors or in a garage because of carbon monoxide.

What's the one thing people forget?
A manual can opener and a way to charge a phone. Every season, both sell out — and both are cheap to have ready now.

This page contains affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. It's general preparedness information, not safety or emergency advice — always follow Volusia County Emergency Management and local officials during a storm. Robert Kirkland is a licensed Florida real estate sales associate (License #SL3498393) with Simply Real Estate, serving coastal Volusia County.

Going deeper on power? See my full storm power-backup guide for a Florida home — generators, battery stations, and what to have ready before the lights go out.