Emergency Preparedness tax holiday is now ongoing

Lazaro Aleman

If you missed the first 14 days of Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays in late May and early June, don’t fret.

You now have another opportunity to take advantage of the program by the Florida Division of Emergency Management that allows you to purchase emergency preparedness items tax free during the 14 days that began Saturday, Aug. 26, and run through Friday, Sept. 8.

The idea is to prompt citizens to stock up on items that will better prepare them in the event of a hurricane, as the season runs until Nov. 30. Stocking up is important, especially now, with Hurricane Idalia potentially threatening this region.

Following is a partial list of the items that can be purchased during the tax-free holiday.

• A portable generator used to provide light or communications or to preserve food in the event of a power outage with a sales price of $3,000 or less

• A tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting with a sales price of $100 or less

• An item normally sold as, or generally advertised as, a ground anchor system or tie-down kit with a sales price of $100 or less

• A smoke detector or smoke alarm with a sales price of $70 or less

• A fire extinguisher with a sales price of $70 or less

• A carbon monoxide detector with a sales price of $70 or less

• A nonelectric food storage cooler with a sales price of $60 or less

• A portable power bank with a sales price of $60 or less

• A gas or diesel fuel tank with a sales price of $50 or less

• A portable self-powered radio, two-way radio, or weather-band radio with a sales price of $50 or less

• A package of AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries, with a sales price of $50 or less

• A portable self-powered light source (powered by battery, solar, hand-crank or gas) with a sales price of $40

or less

• Flashlights

• Lanterns

• Candles

Eligible light sources and radios qualify for the exemption even if electrical cords are included in the purchase.

Also purchasable are common household consumable items with a sales price of $30 or less. For purposes of this exemption, common household consumable items means the following:

• Laundry detergent

• Laundry supplies

• Fabric softener

• Dryer sheets

• Stain removers

• Bleach

• Toilet paper

• Paper towels

• Tissues

• Dish soaps and detergents

• Cleaning/ disinfecting wipes and spray

• Hand sanitizers

• Trash bags

• Ice packs (with a sales price of $20 or less)

Supplies for pets and for pet evacuations are also included:

• Bags of dry cat/ dog food (must weigh less than 50 pounds and must cost less than $100)

• Portable kennels/ pet carriers (must cost less than $100)

• Over-the-counter pet medications (must cost less than $100)

• Pet beds (must cost less than $40)

• Cat litter (must weigh 25 pounds or less)

• Pet pads (must cost less than $20)

• Manual can openers (must cost less than $15)

• Cat litter pans (must cost less than $15)

• Pet waste disposal bags (must cost less than $15)

• Collapsible/ travel-sized food/water bowls (must cost less than $15)

• Hamster or rabbit substrate (must cost less than $15)

• Cans/ pouches of wet pet food (must cost less than $10 each)

For more information, visit floridarevnue.com/DisasterPrep/ Documents/2023.