Gov. DeSantis urges hurricane preparedness for 2025 season
DeSantis promises hurricane season tax holiday
Governor Ron DeSantis vows to have a hurricane season tax holiday one way or the other, but hasn’t released information on when it will be held because it wasn’t approved as part of a new state budget. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.
JUPITER, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging all Floridians to be prepared for the 2025 hurricane season, which officially begins this weekend.
The governor, along with Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, spoke about storm preps at a news conference inside a Home Depot in Jupiter on Friday.
Florida's storm preparation and response
What they're saying:
Following a 2024 season that saw Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton cause widespread damage and power outages in Florida, DeSantis emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness despite feelings of burnout among many residents.
"You can hope for that, you can pray for that, but you can't prepare for a season with no hurricanes," DeSantis said.
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference in Jupiter on May 30, 2025.
The governor also talked about the state's response to last year's storms, including restoring access to gas for drivers and establishing a debris task force to help with cleanup.
"We paused all the roadwork… any dump truck under the control of the State of Florida was sent over to where Helene had hit," DeSantis said.
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As far as the response at the federal level, the governor said state and local agencies have led the way and should continue to do so.
"We don't rely on FEMA for any of the preparation or response efforts," DeSantis said. "[The federal government] obviously has programs where you can apply for individual assistance."
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What do you need to be prepared?
During Friday's news conference, state officials said they recommend at least seven days' worth of food, water and other critical supplies for all family members, including pets.
Other common items in a disaster-preparedness kit include prescription medications, a flashlight, extra batteries, a battery-powered or hand crank radio, a sleeping bag or warm blanket, and cash.
"This is the time to do it," Guthrie said. "You see a lot of things for your kit. Make sure you're getting those things now."
Pictured: Florida Director of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie speaks at a news conference in Jupiter on May 30, 2025.
Will there be a Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday?
DeSantis says since the Florida Legislature has yet to pass a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, no tax holiday has been set yet. He hopes that will change soon, however.
"One way or another, we are going to get you tax-free disaster preparedness," DeSantis said.
It was supposed to start on Saturday but is not because state legislators have not agreed on a budget. Floridians could save $72 million once it's approved.
READ: NOAA releases hurricane forecast for 2025 Atlantic season
The sales tax holiday is generally used as an incentive for Floridians to get their planning done early. It was first done on and off starting in the mid 2000's, but has been held every year since 2017.
What you can do:
For more information on evacuation zones and what you need to know if you're ordered to leave your home ahead of a storm, click here.
What's next:
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered during a news conference with Governor Ron DeSantis.
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