CAPE CORAL, Fla. – We're staying in your corner for Hurricane Preparedness Week, making sure you know how to get supplies for your home when shelves are bare, but moments count.
Before the storm hits, there is always a huge rush to supply stores. And that huge rush often leads to stores running out of essentials.
We spoke to employees at Family Hardware in Cape Coral. During Hurricane Irma, it was one of the last stores with supplies. They say it was chaotic before Irma.
That's why employee, George Angeloff says it’s better to stock up on supplies sooner rather than later.
He says there are 5 items you need to get right away: batteries, flashlights, tarp, rope and extension cords. He suggests getting ahead start by simply making a list of what you have and what you need.
Angeloff says the items people often overlooked were wing nuts for hurricane shutters. Hundreds of them sold out in two days.
He tells us that there are alternatives if you don't have wing nuts. You can use Tapcons instead. Those are a special type of screw that are used for fastening onto concrete.
He also says sandbags are a good thing to have to protect your home from getting flooded. However, if there is a breach, there really isn’t anything you can do.
It's also important to check your generators-- well before hurricane season.
You should make sure they are working properly and wired to the house correctly. It's a good idea to find an electrician now to check on it because they get extremely busy before a storm hits. Angeloff says the average generator runs a few refrigerators, electronics and lights.
He tells Fox 4 that getting the right extension cords can make all the difference. “You need to buy the actual extension cord that is made for the generator so you have power,” Angeloff said.
He also says stock up on propane for your gas grill or cooker. That way you can still cook if you lose power.
