NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — June 1 marks the official start of the 2024 Hurricane Season.

What You Need To Know

  • The 2024 Hurricane Season has officially arrived and city officials are reminding residents to have a plan ready in the event of severe weather

  • New Port Richey hosted its inaugural Hurricane Preparedness Expo, offering tips and resources to homeowners
  • One local store- Hudson Hardware- is helping residents stock up on necessary supplies

As a way to get ready, plenty of local cities are advising residents to gather supplies now. Including New Port Richey, which hosted its inaugural Hurricane Preparedness Expo at the Recreation and Aquatic Center. It’s a time that some are spending getting prepared.

“If you haven’t been thru it, you don’t know it. But living here, this is one of those things the price you pay for paradise,” said Kevin Schreck at Hudsons Hardware in New Port Richey.

You name it and Schreck has likely got it, and the hurricane sales tax holiday is an incentive for homeowners to do their shopping now.

“It’s a reminder to them- hey, it’s coming,” said Schreck. “It’s coming and we should get something. You have to prepare for the worst. You hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”

Having operated for more than 20 years, the store has seen its fair share of customers and hurricane seasons. When it comes to stocking up, some items are more popular than others.

“Weatherproof tapes, tarps- tarps are a big thing,” says Schreck. “We’ve got Visqueen, your plastic sheeting, and whatnot. But the shop vacs are a big thing, the generators, and your lights.”

With Hurricane Idalia impacting New Port Richey last year, the city decided to hold an inaugural preparedness expo. Reminding residents, it’s not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘when’ a storm happens.

“Businesses, contact information, places that people can call or report to, shelters in the area- things like that,” said Matt Murphy, City Councilman for the City of New Port Richey. “So people have an idea before the storm, or before something happens, so they can be prepared. That’s the best way to be prepared- to get ahead of it.”

And getting stocked up on supplies, Schreck says, should be on everyone’s minds.

“You don’t want to get complacent,” he said. “Don’t sit back and think, ‘Ah, last time it didn’t ever come.’ It never came, but it could be there.”

Being well prepared ahead of any storm.

There is also a county emergency alert system— called Alert Pasco— that residents can sign-up for. The City of New Port Richey has also put together a hurricane preparedness guide online that homeowners can read.