OKALOOSA CO, Fla. (WJHG\/WECP) – U.S. Senator Rick Scott stopped in Destin to kick off his hurricane preparedness tour around Florida alongside other state and local leaders.<\/p>\n
Every hurricane season, officials urge Floridians to prepare early. But the message wasn\u2019t just about stocking up on water or batteries. Leaders say the biggest challenge may be making sure people don\u2019t get too comfortable after years of storms.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople get complacent, and how many people wanna spend their time getting ready for a hurricane, or getting ready for anything. They just don\u2019t wanna do this; it\u2019s more fun to go to the beach. But you have to remind them of how bad it is if you don\u2019t prepare,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November, and leaders say the time to prepare is now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should lose nobody in a hurricane. Nobody should get lost in a storm. If everybody would just listen to local officials and local news, they\u2019ll know when to evacuate,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n
Florida knows the aftermath of disaster all too well, and forecasters say this season could bring more. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts between 3 and 6 hurricanes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t get prepared, there is nothing law enforcement or the fire department can do for you,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n
Destin Fire Chief Kevin Sasser said residents who choose to stay during a storm need a plan and a kit of water, food, and medication. He also said to have a plan in place for your pets.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would ask that if you stay, and you don\u2019t evacuate, make sure that you can survive for seven days, you have a kit for that,\u201d Sasser said.<\/p>\n
Congressman Jimmy Patronis highlighted the importance of taking photos and videos of everything you own now to speed up insurance claims if a disaster happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, the Florida insurance market is in the best condition that I have seen in my nine years as CFO of the state of Florida. The market is very competitive,\u201d Patronis said.<\/p>\n
A vital safety rule for hurricanes and coastal storms: run from water, hide from the wind.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause here\u2019s the deal, you can always rebuild that house, you can rebuild your business, it might be a pain in the butt, but you can\u2019t rebuild your life,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n
Officials say preparation doesn\u2019t start when a storm enters the Gulf. It starts right now. Make a plan, start your kit, film your property, and you\u2019ll be ready.<\/p>\n
Both Senator Scott and Congressman Patronis say they are trying to reduce the cost of flood insurance and are working to build a disaster budget for this season.<\/p>\n
Okaloosa County has a disaster guide here<\/a>.<\/p>\n To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WJHG on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Email news@wjhg.com<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Keep up with all the biggest headlines on the WJHG News app<\/a>, and check out what\u2019s happening outside using the WJHG Weather app<\/a>.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WJHG. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n