Hurricane tax holiday is a time plan ahead | OUR VIEW

It is neither pleasant nor easy to think about more than one disaster at a time. But yes, as the hurricane season begins next week -- that has already seen two pre-season storms -- it’s time to think about storm preparedness.

The week-long Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday starts Friday, so this is the time to consider what you need to have on hand in case a storm comes our way.

The coronavirus pandemic will not pause for natural disasters. You will not want to find yourself among a crowd panic shopping for last-minute supplies while a storm bears down. Social distancing will be out the window while grabbing at a rapidly shrinking bottled water display in the supermarket or the only panel of plywood left at the hardware store.

From May 29 to June 4, 2020, no state sales tax will be charged for certain disaster preparedness supplies. These include flashlights and lanterns costing $20 or less; radios and tarps costing $50 or less, coolers and batteries costing $30 or less, and even electrical generators that cost $750 or less. Handy things to keep around just in case.

It’s a slightly more limited list than some past years. Florida started doing this in 2005 when then-Gov. Jeb Bush urged Floridians to embrace a “culture of preparedness.” The holiday has been a more-or-less annual event surrounding the start of hurricane season since then. It was only put on hold in 2008 and 2013 amid budget crunches. Do not bet on one this time next year.

Hurricane forecasters’ early predictions tell us to expect an active hurricane season over the coming summer and fall. Colorado State University‘s Tropical Meteorology Project last month predicted no fewer than 16 named tropical storms and eight hurricanes. An average season with a dozen named storms is worrisome enough.

Batteries and the other items on the sales tax exemption list are obvious enough things to have on hand but being storm-ready does not stop there. Families need to think of a plan for evacuating should a strong storm heading this way demand that. Make a list of what you’d throw in the car.

Do you have a plan for keeping pets safe? Do you know where emergency shelters are? Do you have a plan for touching base with family members? Are important documents in a safe place and retrievable?

This also is a time to look over your home and consider how storm-resistant it is. Is there plywood to protect windows stored away somewhere? If so, do you know where it is? Might be a good time to see if it’s accessible and not buried under garage junk. Might be a good time to put on a mask and brave the lumber aisle of the hardware store.

A good time, too, to act on that tree that seems to be tilting toward the house at a distinctly threatening angle.

All things that you wouldn’t want to deal with in the busy days as a storm is headed your way.

Last year, Northeast Florida lucked out as Hurricane Dorian brought only light damage and flooding. Its worst effects were economic, keeping beachgoers and tourists away during the Labor Day weekend. We cannot count on being as lucky this year. The hurricane sales tax holiday is not just a time to buy batteries; it’s a time to think ahead to the next storm.