Hurricane season runs June through November here in Palm Beach County, and the best prep happens on a calm, sunny day — not the afternoon before a storm turns toward the coast. This isn’t a comprehensive guide; it’s a quick-start checklist you can knock out this weekend. Save it, share it with a neighbor, and revisit it every June.
1Know Your Evacuation Zone
Palm Beach County’s evacuation zones run A through E. Zone A covers coastal and Intracoastal-adjacent areas and is typically the first called to evacuate ahead of a storm — but zone lines don’t always follow the boundaries you’d expect, even within the same neighborhood.
2Build a Basic Supply Kit
You don’t need to buy everything at once — add a few items each time you shop. At minimum, aim for:
- Water — one gallon per person, per day, for at least seven days
- Medications — a two-week supply, plus copies of prescriptions
- Batteries and flashlights — for every room, not just one junk drawer
- Cash in small bills — ATMs and card readers can be down for days after a storm
- Chargers and a portable battery pack — charged up before the storm arrives, not during
3Have a Plan Before You Need One
A plan takes fifteen minutes to talk through with your household, and it removes a lot of the panic if a storm does turn your way. Cover the basics:
- Where will you go if you’re ordered to evacuate — a friend, family member, or hotel outside the affected zone?
- How will everyone check in if cell service drops or your household gets separated?
- Do you have pets? Not every shelter accepts them, so know your options in advance.
- Map two routes out of your area in case one is jammed or closed.
4Protect Your Key Documents
Before a storm is a much better time to think about this than after. Gather the essentials into one place:
- Driver’s license, passports, and birth certificates
- Insurance policy declarations pages
- Property deed or title
- Medical records and a current prescription list
5Sign Up for County Alerts
AlertPBC is Palm Beach County’s free emergency notification system. Once you’re registered, you’ll get calls, texts, and email updates tied to the specific locations you care about — your home, your parents’ house, your office.
That’s the quick-start version. None of it takes more than a weekend, and all of it makes the difference between scrambling and being ready if a storm does head our way.
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