VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — On Saturday, Volusia County officials hosted a hurricane preparedness expo in anticipation of the 2024 hurricane season, which starts in June.

What You Need To Know

  • Officials say there are several things people can take care of right now to stay ahead of the curve

  • They suggest identifying evacuation routes, and have additional routes in mind in case a road is closed

  • It's also suggested that people look over their hurricane kits, as first aid supplies and food can expire

  • Hurricane season begins June 1; view our Spectrum News Storm Season page

Vendors and experts lined up inside the Volusia County Fair Grounds on Saturday, hoping to advise residents on how best to prepare ahead of potential hurricanes.

Jane Farinas, a Deland resident, was there with her husband hoping to learn preparedness techniques. Farinas says she was personally impacted by Hurricane Frances, which resulted in a tree crashing through her home.

"We got hit real bad about 10 years ago, and we want to be more prepared," said Farinas. "They condemned the house. We came out, and had to leave. We had at least 10 different motels we had to live in with two dogs."

Volusia County Emergency Management was also in attendance. They suggest people make copies of birth certificates and social security cards to take with them in the event of an evacuation.

They also hope people will double check their hurricane kits, as some may have been stashed away for many years.

"We find expiration dates are a big deal whether it comes to disaster supply kits with food, or even first aid kits," said Aubrie Austin, Operations Coordinator with Volusia County Emergency Management. "We recommend you check them prior to the season and make sure things are not expired."

Experts also say it's a good time to circle back with your insurance agency about what coverage you have before it's too late.

"Unfortunately, when you apply for flood insurance, it does take 30 days to go into effect. So if you have a storm coming, and it's two or three days out, you will not be covered for that storm," said Austin.

If you are still looking for more tips, the American Red Cross is hosting free virtual hurricane safety courses the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 5 p.m., which can be accessed by clicking here.

You can also check our Spectrum News Storm Season page for more information.