What to Keep in Your Car During Hurricane Season

It may help you evacuate, relocate locally, reach family members, find supplies or get to medical care. After a storm, it may also provide transportation, charging and temporary relief from the heat.

But preparing your vehicle does not mean filling the trunk with every emergency item you own.

Florida heat, limited cargo space and changing household needs make that approach impractical. Some equipment can remain in your vehicle throughout hurricane season. Other supplies should stay inside your home until a credible threat develops.

The most effective approach is to create two separate systems:

1. A permanent vehicle emergency kit
2. A grab-and-load hurricane container

Together, they keep your vehicle useful without exposing sensitive supplies to months of extreme heat.

When evacuation becomes likely, use the Hurricane Evacuation Car Kit guide to combine these two systems into a safe, organized loadout for travelers, pets, documents and essential supplies.

A hurricane vehicle kit should address realistic problems you may encounter on the road:

• A weak or dead battery
• A flat or damaged tire
• Heavy rain
• Reduced visibility
• Road closures
• Traffic delays
• Temporary fuel shortages
• Loss of cellular service
• Minor injuries
• Unexpected overnight travel

Every item should solve a specific problem.

Avoid loading the vehicle with equipment that is too complicated to use, inappropriate for your vehicle or unlikely to help during an evacuation.

You also need room for people, pets, medications, documents, water, food and luggage. A trunk packed with unnecessary equipment can make it harder to load the supplies that matter when a storm approaches.

The permanent kit contains durable equipment that can remain in the vehicle throughout hurricane season, provided the manufacturer allows storage under the temperatures your vehicle may experience.

Keep the equipment organized in a secured container or cargo organizer. Do not allow heavy objects or tools to move freely inside the passenger compartment.

Start with equipment that helps other drivers see you and allows you to work safely near the road.

Consider keeping:

• Reflective safety vest
• Reflective warning triangles
• LED emergency beacons
• Rain poncho
• Work gloves
• Safety glasses
• Whistle
• Window breaker and seatbelt cutter

Road flares may not be appropriate for every vehicle or situation. Reflective triangles and LED beacons provide visible warnings without an open flame.

Keep roadside-warning equipment somewhere you can reach without unloading the entire vehicle.

A damaged tire can stop an evacuation vehicle even when everything else is working properly.

Your vehicle should have:

• Tire-pressure gauge
• Portable tire inflator
• Spare tire, if equipped
• Vehicle jack
• Lug wrench
• Wheel-lock key, if applicable
• Tire-repair equipment appropriate for your vehicle
• Instructions for the vehicle’s factory tire-repair system

Some newer vehicles do not include a conventional spare tire. Find out what your vehicle uses before hurricane season.

Check the spare tire’s pressure regularly. A spare that has been ignored for years may not be ready when you need it.

A small tool kit can help with minor roadside problems.

Useful equipment may include:

• Adjustable wrench
• Pliers
• Screwdrivers
• Socket set appropriate for your vehicle
• Utility knife
• Duct tape
• Zip ties
• Tow strap rated for the vehicle
• Folding shovel
• Jumper cables
• Manufacturer-approved recovery points information

Do not attempt a repair or vehicle recovery that exceeds your training, equipment or physical ability.

Using an unsuitable attachment point or incorrectly rated recovery equipment can damage a vehicle and seriously injure people nearby.

Heavy rain, power outages and nighttime travel can make dependable lighting essential.

Consider carrying:

• Flashlight
• Headlamp
• LED work light
• Spare compatible batteries

A headlamp is especially useful because it leaves both hands available for changing a tire, checking the engine compartment or organizing supplies.

Inspect lights and batteries regularly for corrosion, leakage, swelling or damage.

Phones and navigation apps are useful, but they should not be your only sources of information.

Keep:

• Florida road map
• Printed evacuation-route information
• Roadside-assistance number
• Insurance contact information
• Emergency contact list
• Important medical contact numbers
• Written destination address
• Primary and alternate evacuation routes

Store personal information securely. Avoid leaving unnecessary identity documents, original records or sensitive financial information inside an unattended vehicle.

A parked vehicle in Florida can become extremely hot.

That makes it a poor long-term storage location for many foods, medicines, batteries, electronics and medical supplies. The FDA advises against leaving medicines in vehicles exposed to extreme temperatures, and medical devices may not operate correctly after exposure to heat or humidity.

Instead, create a clearly labeled container that stays inside your home.

When a storm becomes a credible threat, inspect the contents and load the container into your vehicle.

Your grab-and-load supplies should include:

• Drinking water for each traveler
• Additional water for pets
• Shelf-stable food
• Snacks that are easy to eat during traffic delays
• Manual can opener, if needed
• Reusable water bottles
• Cups or collapsible bowls for pets
• Trash bags
• Paper towels or wipes

Choose foods that do not require cooking and accommodate allergies, medical restrictions and individual needs.

Do not assume bottled water and packaged food can remain indefinitely inside a hot vehicle. Inspect and rotate them regularly.

Load:

• Household first-aid kit
• Prescription medications
• Medication list
• Copies of prescriptions where appropriate
• Necessary medical devices
• Spare glasses or contact-lens supplies
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Hygiene products
• Nitrile gloves
• Masks
• Hand sanitizer

Medicines should be stored according to their labeling. Many should not be left in a hot vehicle, and some require refrigeration or other temperature controls.

Anyone who depends on insulin, oxygen, powered medical equipment or temperature-sensitive medication needs a specific evacuation plan before a storm develops.

Your grab-and-load power kit may include:

• Charged power banks
• Phone charging cables
• Vehicle USB adapters
• Portable jump starter
• Weather radio
• GMRS or FRS radios
• Spare batteries
• Small inverter, if appropriate for your vehicle
• Battery-powered fan

Portable power stations, jump starters, power banks and loose lithium batteries should be stored and operated according to their manufacturers’ temperature and safety instructions.

Do not leave damaged, swollen or recalled batteries in your vehicle.

Pack for heat, rain and unexpected delays.

Consider including:

• Change of clothing
• Closed-toe shoes
• Rain jacket
• Hat
• Cooling towels
• Lightweight blanket
• Toiletries
• Menstrual products
• Spare clothing for children
• Comfort items for children
• Pet leashes, carriers and waste bags

Evacuation travel may take considerably longer than normal. Pack for the delay, not just the expected driving time.

Some emergency supplies should be loaded only when needed.

Avoid permanently storing these items inside a Florida vehicle unless their manufacturer specifically allows the expected temperatures:

• Prescription medications
• Insulin and other temperature-sensitive medicines
• Sensitive medical devices
• Aerosol containers
• Perishable food
• Pet food that requires cool storage
• Large quantities of bottled water for extended periods
• Loose lithium-ion batteries
• Power banks
• Portable power stations
• Battery jump starters
• Electronics
• Important original documents
• Items that can melt, leak or become pressurized

Never leave children, older adults, vulnerable individuals or pets inside a parked vehicle.

Do not carry loose containers of gasoline inside the passenger compartment or trunk as part of a permanent hurricane kit.

If you need to transport fuel:

• Use only approved fuel containers
• Follow local laws and manufacturer instructions
• Keep containers upright
• Secure them against movement
• Keep them away from ignition sources
• Avoid transporting fuel inside an enclosed passenger area
• Remove the containers when transportation is complete
• Store fuel in an appropriate approved location

Fuel expands as it becomes warmer. Heat, fumes, spills and improper containers can create serious fire and health risks.

A safer first step is maintaining a practical fuel routine throughout hurricane season. During periods of elevated tropical activity, try not to let the vehicle fall below half a tank. When a credible threat begins developing, top off before demand becomes intense.

Electric-vehicle owners should apply the same principle to battery charge and identify several charging options along both primary and alternate evacuation routes.

A hurricane vehicle kit is not identical for everyone.

Your supplies may need to account for:

• Infants or young children
• Older adults
• Disabilities or mobility limitations
• Prescription medications
• Medical equipment
• Food allergies
• Service animals
• Household pets
• Long-distance evacuation
• Electric-vehicle charging
• Multiple vehicles
• Trailer towing
• Work-related responsibilities

Build around the people who will actually be traveling in the vehicle.

If your household uses more than one vehicle, decide whether each vehicle needs a complete independent kit or whether certain grab-and-load containers will move with the family.

Good equipment is less useful when it is buried underneath luggage.

Organize the vehicle so that these items are easy to reach:

• First-aid kit
• Flashlight
• Reflective vest
• Warning triangles
• Phone charger
• Paper map
• Water
• Medications
• Pet leash
• Rain gear
• Emergency contact information

Secure heavier equipment low in the vehicle. Do not place unsecured tools, water containers or power equipment where they could become dangerous during sudden braking or a collision.

A vehicle kit is not something you assemble once and forget.

Once a month:

• Test flashlights
• Inspect batteries
• Charge electronic equipment
• Check the first-aid kit
• Replace damaged supplies
• Review food and water
• Inspect the tire inflator
• Check the spare tire
• Confirm the jack and wheel-lock key are present
• Update printed routes
• Review household and pet needs
• Remove anything that should not remain in the heat

When a tropical system begins threatening Florida, perform another inspection and load the temperature-sensitive container.

Before evacuation traffic develops:

• Fill the fuel tank or charge the vehicle
• Check tire pressure
• Check fluids
• Test lights and windshield wipers
• Charge phones and power banks
• Load medications
• Load water and food
• Load documents
• Load pet supplies
• Load the hurricane container
• Confirm your destination
• Review official evacuation information
• Check your primary route
• Check at least one alternate route
• Tell someone outside the affected area where you are going

Do not wait until an evacuation order is issued to discover a weak battery, damaged tire or missing piece of essential equipment.

Use the Hurricane Bug Out resources together:

• Vehicle Preparation explains how to maintain and prepare your vehicle throughout hurricane season.
• Vehicle Prep List provides the complete step-by-step inspection checklist.
• Vehicle Gear helps you evaluate useful roadside, evacuation and recovery equipment.
• Vehicle Loadout explains how to organize people, supplies and equipment.
• Vehicle Readiness covers the final steps when departure may become necessary.
• Evacuation Planning helps you decide when, where and how to leave.

Start with the problems your household is most likely to face. Build the system over time and review it before every hurricane season.

Should I keep bottled water in my car during hurricane season?

Keep some accessible water when traveling, but do not treat bottled water stored for months in a hot vehicle as your complete emergency supply. Maintain additional water inside your home and load it when a storm becomes a credible threat. Inspect and rotate any water carried in the vehicle.

Basic durable supplies may remain in a vehicle, but heat can affect medications, adhesives, liquids and some medical products. Inspect the kit regularly and keep temperature-sensitive items in your grab-and-load container.

A portable jump starter can be extremely useful, but lithium-powered units may have storage-temperature limitations. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, inspect the unit for damage and keep it charged. In extreme Florida heat, storing it inside your home until needed may be the better option.

 As a backup, I keep jumper cables in the back compartment of my vehicle year round. I learned lithium batteries swelled within a month when storing in the summer heat.

Carry enough shelf-stable food for your passengers to manage extended traffic delays and unexpected travel. The exact amount depends on the number of travelers, evacuation distance, medical needs and destination. Keep the larger household emergency-food supply inside until it is time to load the vehicle.

There is no single item that solves every problem. A charged phone, safe vehicle, adequate fuel or battery charge, water, first-aid supplies and a reliable route plan work together. Vehicle maintenance remains the foundation of the entire system.

The best hurricane vehicle kit is not the largest one.

It is the kit that solves realistic problems, fits your vehicle, accounts for Florida heat and remains organized enough to use under pressure.

Keep durable roadside equipment in the vehicle.

Keep heat-sensitive supplies inside in a grab-and-load container.

Maintain the vehicle throughout hurricane season.

Then, when a storm begins changing plans, you can focus on where you are going and when you need to leave instead of searching for missing equipment.

Prepare early. Evacuate smart. Recover safely.