In 2017, Hurricane Irma took aim at our home in Naples, Florida. We prepped, second-guessed everything, and then drove 16 hours north with friends, kids, four cats and a 140-pound Newfoundland. We learned a lot, including a few things we wish we’d done sooner.
Today we live full-time in a fifth wheel, and we still spend part of hurricane season in Florida. This checklist is everything we learned then, plus how we prep now. Our motto? “If you’re going to panic, panic first.”
What’s inside
Want the whole story first? Read our Hurricane Irma prep and evacuation lessons.
The steps we never skip now
- Buy gas cans before the season. It was our biggest Irma mistake, and every store was sold out.
- Plan for 10 days, not 72 hours. Stores can take a while to restock after a storm.
- Decide early. The longer you wait, the worse the roads and gas lines get.
- Look for gas at three-quarters of a tank. We never waited in the longest lines.
Get your free Hurricane Ready Checklist
Pop in your name and email and I’ll send the printable PDF right over.
This checklist reflects our own experience and is shared for informational purposes only. Always follow official evacuation orders and guidance from your local emergency management, the National Weather Service and your campground.
Hitching up in a hurry?
Our free Travel Day Checklist is the teardown and hitch routine we run every time we move, so nothing gets skipped, even on short notice.
More hurricane and road stories
Get the free Hurricane Ready Checklist
