Hurricane Season Starts June 1: Here’s How to Prepare

Ensuring your safety during hurricane season is a lot like taking care of your health. Regular checkups, including exams, screenings, and immunizations, can help prevent or detect health issues early, when treatment is most effective.

The same principle applies to preparing for hurricane season, which officially begins June 1. Whatever the weather brings, preparation remains key when it comes to your health and medical needs. 

First things first: Know the locations of special care shelters 

Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA and President & CEO of Lee Health, says a key component of preparing for hurricane season is determining if you or a loved one will need access to a special care shelter. 

“Lee Health hospitals and facilities are not hurricane shelters,” Dr. Antonucci says. “If you or a loved one requires assistance that exceeds services provided at a general population shelter, you must preregister with Lee County Emergency Management.”

For more information and the Special Needs application, visit here. The program is free for Lee County residents. The program provides shelter for people who live in a home and/or area exposed to storm surges or wind and for people who lack other places of safe shelter. The service also includes transportation to a shelter for anyone in need.

Medical supplies, prescriptions, and other essentials

If you rely on medical equipment, write down key details — such as the size, manufacturer, and your account and company information, Dr. Antonucci advises. 

“Make sure you stock up on batteries, especially if your equipment requires specialty types that may take time to order. Also, take inventory of other medical supplies you may need, like catheters, dressings or items related to dietary restrictions, to ensure you have enough on hand.”

“Ahead of a storm, be sure you have refills of your prescription medications and other essential medical supplies, like oxygen,” Dr. Antonucci adds. “Florida law allows pharmacies to fill prescriptions in advance during hurricane warnings.”

WATCH HEALTH MATTERS: Medical supplies for a hurricane kit

“Think ahead, too,” Dr. Antonucci says, “about preserving refrigerated drugs, like insulin, in case the power goes out – be sure you have enough ice to keep them cool for several days. If you have questions about your drug’s safety following a storm and power outage, you can contact poison control for assistance.”

He cautions that if you use a generator, follow all safety guidelines.  “Unfortunately, improper generator use is one of the leading causes of injury and death after a storm,” he notes. “Always operate generators outdoors and away from windows.”

WATCH HEALTH MATTERS: Careful! Dangers of carbon monoxide from generators

Lee Health Emergency Management Hub can help you prepare

Lee Health’s Emergency Management Hub helps you stay informed so you can prepare in the event of any disaster, including hurricanes.

You’ll find information and checklists on what to do before, during, and after a natural disaster or public health emergency.

• Hurricane Preparedness Resources and Helpful Links
• Food and Water Supplies
• Emergency Action Plan
• Emergency Updates

2025 Hurricane Season: Lee Health Is ‘StormReady’ for You

Of course, we can’t predict the future, but whatever this hurricane season brings, Lee Health’s StormReady program is ready to help.

The program helps arm our communities with the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before, during and after an event, according to Tashawna Gaines, Emergency Preparedness Manager for Lee Health. 

“Our StormReady program addresses the heightened risk of extreme weather and water-related events in our region,” Tashawna says. “All Lee Health hospitals are certified as ‘StormReady’ by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That means Lee Health has met a rigorous set of federal standards that help educate and prepare our communities on how to stay safe in a severe weather event.”

Learn more about Lee Health’s StormReady program here.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) will issue tropical outlooks twice a day until the 2025 hurricane season ends on November 30.