Why the first 6 hours are everything

When a storm is named and tracks toward your area, most people don't act immediately. They watch the news. They text family. They wait to see if the track changes. That window — the first 6 hours — is when you have full shelves, full gas stations, and no lines. By hour 12, it's already over.

The people who get through major storms well aren't the ones who prepared during the storm watch. They're the ones who were already prepared, or the ones who acted in the first 6 hours when a storm was named. This guide is for the second group.

⏰ The timeline is real. During Hurricane Ian (2022), gas stations in the Fort Myers area were out of fuel within 8 hours of the first major track update pointing at southwest Florida. The Home Depot in Cape Coral sold out of generators in under 4 hours. Dollar General was stripped of water and batteries the same day the storm was named.

Gas station line during hurricane evacuation

Step 1 — Fuel. Right now. Before anything else.

Get in your vehicle and go fill the tank. Every vehicle in your household. While you're there, fill your gas cans if you have them.

Fill every vehicle in your household — don't wait, do it first
Fill your generator gas cans (2–4 five-gallon cans if possible)
Add fuel stabilizer (STA-BIL) to stored cans — prevents degradation
Note which nearby stations still have fuel for others in your network

If you pass a station with a long line, keep driving. There will be shorter lines at stations slightly off the main evacuation routes. Side streets, rural stations, and stations in neighborhoods slightly inland from the coast are your best bet.

Step 2 — Cash from the ATM

Get $200–$500 in small bills. After a major storm, ATMs go offline and card readers don't work without power. For days or weeks after landfall, cash is king. A $20 bill can buy fuel from a neighbor. It can tip the person who clears a tree from your driveway. It can pay for a meal at the one restaurant running on generator power.

Step 3 — Dollar General first, then Walmart, then Home Depot

Most people instinctively go to Walmart or Home Depot first. That's exactly where the crowds are. Hit Dollar General first — they restock less frequently but are also hit less hard in the first rush. Get your canned food, batteries, water, and hygiene basics there.

Then Walmart for water cases, ice, and bulk food. Then Home Depot or Lowe's for tarps, plywood, and generator supplies if you still need them.

✅ The overlooked stores: Harbor Freight for generator and tools. Tractor Supply for propane exchange, bulk water containers, and camp stoves. These stores are almost always less crowded during a storm rush — most people don't think to go there. See our complete store guide →

Prescription medications for emergency preparedness

Step 4 — Prescriptions

Call your pharmacy and request emergency early refills for every prescription in your household. Most insurers will authorize early refills for a 30-day supply when a disaster declaration is in effect. Ask the pharmacist specifically — they know the process and can usually process it same-day.

If you use a CPAP, oxygen concentrator, or other powered medical equipment, now is the time to confirm your battery backup is charged and your equipment is ready.

Charging devices and power banks before a storm

Step 5 — Charge everything

All phones and tablets — to 100%
Every portable power bank you own
CPAP battery backup, power wheelchair, hearing aids
Laptop computers (they run surprisingly long on battery)
Rechargeable flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns

Step 6 — Call your shutter installer if you need help

If you have accordion shutters or roll-down shutters that need service, or if you planned to hire someone to install storm panels, call now. Installer waitlists fill within hours of a storm being named. The same installers who were available yesterday at a normal rate will be fully booked tomorrow at premium prices — if they're available at all.

If you have shutters already and can install them yourself, don't do it yet. Wait until the 48-hour window when a Watch is issued. Doing it now and then having the storm shift course wastes time you'll need for other prep.

Don't have shutters yet? It's too late to get them professionally installed before this storm. Use plywood as your fallback. See our plywood guide →

Step 7 — Notify your people

This is the most underrated step. Call or text the people in your life and confirm:

Where everyone is and their current plan
Whether elderly parents, relatives, or neighbors need help getting supplies or evacuating
What your communication plan is if cell service goes down (a designated out-of-state contact both sides can text is the standard approach)
Who has a generator, who needs one, who has space for someone who needs to evacuate

Step 8 — Don't believe a single forecast track

The forecast cone is not a precision instrument. A storm can shift 60–100 miles from the current projected track within 48 hours. If you're on the "edge" of the cone today, assume you're in the bullseye tomorrow. Do not reduce your preparation because the storm looks like it will hit somewhere else.

Prepare as if it's a direct hit. Be pleasantly surprised if it isn't.