Medically reviewed by Shane D. Naidoo, MD
Medical Director, TrufaMED Urgent Care & Concierge Medicine
Board-Certified, Emergency Medicine
Last reviewed: September 2026
September and October are statistically the busiest months for Atlantic hurricane formation. The 2026 season has already been active. If you have not assembled your household medical kit, today is the day. This post is the consolidated checklist with quantities, brands, and the why behind each item.
Medications
- Two weeks of every regular prescription medication for every household member. Refill early.
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol): adult 325-650 mg tablets, pediatric liquid or chewable
- Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin): adult 200 mg tablets, pediatric liquid or chewable
- Loperamide (Imodium) for diarrhea
- Ondansetron for nausea (ask your physician for a small supply)
- Cetirizine or loratadine for allergies
- Diphenhydramine for severe allergic reactions
- EpiPen if you have known severe allergies (verify expiration)
- Oral rehydration salts (Pedialyte powder packets or commercial equivalent)
- Albuterol inhaler if anyone has asthma (check expiration; pharmacies run out fast post-storm)
Wound Care
- Adhesive bandages, multiple sizes
- Gauze pads (2×2 and 4×4)
- Roll gauze and self-adherent wrap (Coban)
- Medical tape
- Sterile saline or bottled water for irrigation
- Antibiotic ointment (bacitracin or triple antibiotic)
- Hydrocortisone cream 1% for bug bites and rashes
- Alcohol prep pads
- Steri-strips for small wounds
- Tweezers and small scissors
- Disposable gloves (latex or nitrile)
Tools And Monitoring
- Digital thermometer with spare batteries
- Blood pressure cuff (manual or automatic) if anyone has cardiovascular conditions
- Pulse oximeter: surprisingly useful for many post-storm respiratory questions
- Glucose meter and strips if anyone is diabetic; lancets, alcohol swabs
- Sharps container if anyone uses injectable medications
- Spare reading glasses if you cannot read prescriptions or instructions without them
Personal Hygiene And Sanitation
- Hand sanitizer (alcohol-based, 60%+)
- Wet wipes (bulk pack)
- Toilet paper (one full pack per person minimum)
- Tampons or pads
- Diapers and wipes if you have infants (one week supply minimum)
- Sunscreen and insect repellent (mosquito-borne illness spikes post-storm)
- Toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss
Special-Needs Items
- If anyone uses CPAP/BiPAP: battery backup, extra mask, distilled water
- If anyone uses supplemental oxygen: backup tank and contact info for your provider’s hurricane plan
- If anyone has seizure disorder: emergency rescue medication (Diastat/Nayzilam)
- If anyone is on dialysis: contact your dialysis center NOW about post-storm scheduling
- If anyone is post-surgical: contact your surgeon about wound care during prolonged power loss
- Pet medications and food
Documents
- Photo IDs (laminated or in waterproof bag)
- Insurance cards
- Medication list with doses and prescribers
- Medical history summary
- List of allergies
- Vaccination records for kids
- Recent lab results PDF on a USB drive
- Power of attorney and healthcare proxy documents
- Veterinary records for pets
How To Store It
Use waterproof bins or large dry bags. Label clearly. Store in a high spot in the home (interior closet, second floor) not in the garage or near windows. Refresh medications annually, or whenever you take inventory before each season.
Keep a smaller go-bag version (medications, ID, basic wound care, and documents) in a backpack ready to grab if you have to evacuate quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get the prescription medications I need?
Talk to your pharmacy. Florida insurance plans allow hurricane refills; most pharmacies process these starting in May and continuing through November. Concierge members get pre-storm refill coordination from us automatically.
What about food poisoning if power goes out?
Discard refrigerated food after 4 hours without power; frozen food after 24 to 48 hours depending on freezer fill. Loperamide and oral rehydration in your kit address acute food poisoning episodes.
Should I have antibiotics in my kit?
Generally no. Without proper diagnosis antibiotics do more harm than good. If you have a known recurrent condition (UTI in someone with history, sinus infection pattern) ask your physician for a single emergency course.
Do you make house calls during a hurricane?
Not during active hurricane conditions (winds above tropical storm force). Telehealth is available 24/7 to Florida residents. We resume in-person visits as soon as roads and conditions allow.