Hurricane season is here (June 1 through Nov. 30.) All residents and visitors are encouraged to get prepared by creating a family hurricane plan and assembling a hurricane supply kit. These preparedness steps are the keys to safely weathering a storm, or any other disaster. This eight-week shopping guide identifies the basic items required to comfortably sustain you and your family for 3 to 5 days following a storm that may leave you without power and potable water.

Adding a few items to your regular shopping list each week is the easiest way to complete your hurricane kit with minimal impact to your budget. Remember that these items listed are just examples. You need to use your own judgment as to what items you and your families may need during a disaster.

Food groups for shopping guide:
• Bread group items — crackers, dry bread sticks, pretzels, Melba toast, rice cakes, breakfast cereal, dry pasta, nutritional bars, bread (keep frozen until needed).

• Meat group items — canned tuna, chicken/turkey, or meat, soup with beans, sardines, chili with meat or beans, ravioli/spaghetti, ham/pork, stew, Vienna sausage, peanut butter, commercially prepared beef or turkey jerky.
• Milk group items — shelf-stable milk (keep chilled after opening) powdered milk (will need extra water), canned and boxed pudding (from the store shelves not the refrigerator section, nutritional drinks.
• Vegetable group items — canned vegetables, soups of all types, canned three-bean vegetable salads.
• Fruit group items — canned fruit of all types, dried fruits (raisins, dates, apricots, etc.), and 100 percent fruit juice.
• Comfort food items — quick energy snacks such as trail mix, granola and fruit bars, cookies, hard candy, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags.
For more information, call Palm Beach County Emergency Management Department at 561-712-6400.