Hurricane Preparedness for Sarasota & Manatee Counties

Hurricane Season on the Gulf Coast? Let’s Get You Ready.

Living on Florida’s Gulf Coast is worth every sunset. It also means storm season is part of life here. We pulled together the checklists, plans, and local numbers you need, so when a storm is named, you already have a plan.

At The AGNT Group, we look after people, not just transactions. That includes the weeks before a storm, the hours during, and the cleanup after. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and the families who do best are the ones who get ready early, while the shelves are still full. Save this page now so it’s easy to find later.

Free Downloads

Three guides, built for our area. Print them, fill them in, and keep them with your important papers.

Download the Emergency Supply Checklist (PDF)

Everything to stock for your home, from water and food to tools, pet supplies, and sanitation. Check off what you have and what you still need.

Download the Family Emergency Plan (PDF)

A simple fill-in plan: who’s in your household, where you’ll meet, your out-of-town contact, and what to do with pets. Sit down with your family and fill it out together.

Download the Local Resources Sheet (PDF)

The Sarasota and Manatee numbers that matter most: county emergency management, special needs registries, shelters, power outages, and price-gouging hotlines, all on one page.

Build Your Supply Kit

Stock enough to get your household through at least seven days without power or a store run. The basics:

  • Water: one gallon per person per day, for seven days. Don’t forget your pets.
  • Food: non-perishable items that need little or no cooking, plus a manual can opener.
  • Power and light: flashlights, batteries, a NOAA weather radio, and a charged power bank. Skip candles. They cause more fires after a storm than anything else.
  • Health: a first aid kit, a two-week supply of prescriptions, and copies of your prescriptions.
  • Documents: insurance policies, deeds, IDs, and medical records in a waterproof container.
  • Cash: ATMs and card readers go down when the power does.
  • Pets: food, water, medications, a carrier, and vaccination records.

Make a Family Plan

A plan written down beats a plan in your head. Cover these five things:

  1. Who’s in your household. Note ages, medications, and any special needs.
  2. Where you’ll meet. Pick one spot near home and one outside the neighborhood.
  3. Your out-of-town contact. One person everyone checks in with.
  4. Your pets. Public shelters don’t take pets, so line up a pet-friendly shelter, hotel, or friend now.
  5. Your home. Know how to shut off water, power, and gas, and where your storm shutters are.

Know Your Zone and Your Route

If you live in an evacuation zone, on a barrier island, or in a mobile home, know that before a storm is named, not during.

  • Find your evacuation zone: Manatee County at mymanatee.org and Sarasota County at scgov.net.
  • Sign up for alerts from your county so warnings reach your phone.
  • Plan your route early. Leave early if asked to go. Roads fill up fast, and other counties may evacuate before ours.
  • Keep a full tank of gas once a storm enters the forecast.

Save Money on Supplies

Good news for your prep budget: as of August 1, 2025, Florida made many disaster supplies permanently tax-free. No more waiting for a tax holiday. These items are always exempt now:

Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 6-volt, 9-volt), portable generators (10,000 watts or less), portable gas cans (5 gallons or less), fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, flashlights and supplies, life jackets, ground anchors and tie-down kits, waterproof tarps (1,000 sq ft or less), sunscreen, and insect repellent.

Stock up any time of year and keep the savings.

We’re Here Before, During, and After

Storm questions are part of owning a home here, and they don’t stop at the closing table. If you’re weighing flood zones before you buy, need a trusted contractor after a storm, or just want a straight answer about a property, reach out. Helping our neighbors is the whole point.

Phone or text: 941.867.8667
Office: 5391 Lakewood Ranch Blvd N, Suite 100, Sarasota, FL 34240

Contact The AGNT Group

The guides here pull from FEMA, the Florida Department of Health, and Manatee and Sarasota County emergency management. They’re for general planning. Always follow the instructions of local officials during an actual storm.