Your First Florida Storm: A Hurricane Checklist for Gainesville College Students

Your first hurricane season away from home comes with a few questions that probably were not covered during orientation.



Do I need sandbags? Should I board up the windows? What happens if the power goes out? And how many times should I answer my mother’s text asking whether I charged my phone?

That last one is between you and your mother. My recommendation is to answer her.

At KNR Property Management, we manage student rentals in Gainesville, and we know that tropical weather can make both students and parents nervous. For someone living independently for the first time, even knowing where to find the flashlight can be a new responsibility.

The good news is that preparation does not have to be complicated. You need reliable information, a few basic supplies, and a plan you discuss before the weather gets bad.

Start With Official Information

Follow your property manager’s instructions along with university updates and local emergency guidance. A roommate’s group chat can be useful, but it should not be your weather authority.

UF students should keep their emergency contact information current and make sure they receive UF Alerts. Parents can also review UF’s public emergency updates. UF Emergency Management

Gainesville is inland, but that does not mean it is immune to tropical weather. Heavy rain, flooding, damaging winds, tornadoes, falling trees, and power outages can occur well away from the coast. weather.gov

Stay calm and take the forecast seriously. Those two things can happen at the same time.

Talk With Your Roommates Before the Storm

Do not assume everyone has made the same plan.

Is everyone staying? Is someone leaving town? Who is bringing the patio furniture inside? Does anyone have medication, medical equipment, a pet, or another need that requires advance planning?

Make sure everyone knows:

• Where the flashlights and supplies are.
• How to contact management after hours.
• Which utility serves the property.
• Where to shelter away from windows.
• Who to contact if someone cannot be reached.
• Whether anyone plans to stay somewhere else.

If you leave, tell your roommates and someone at home where you are going. Plan travel early enough to avoid being on the road during dangerous conditions.

Follow official shelter and evacuation instructions for your location and housing type. Do not assume campus buildings will be open as shelters; check announced locations.

Bring Loose Outdoor Items Inside

Balconies and patios are not storage areas during a storm.

Bring in chairs, small tables, planters, decorations, and other loose belongings. If you cannot safely move something, contact management early so you can discuss what assistance may be available.

Do not wait until the wind picks up to wrestle a patio umbrella.

UF’s preparedness guidance specifically recommends removing or securing outdoor items before a storm. emergency.ufl.edu

Close and Lock Windows—and Ask Before Making Changes

Check that windows and exterior doors are fully closed and properly secured. Report a window that will not close or a damaged door before the storm arrives.

Do not install plywood, drill into the building, or make other alterations without management’s authorization. If the property has approved shutters or other protection, follow the instructions provided.

Sandbags are also location-specific. Ask management and follow local guidance rather than assuming every apartment needs them. They do not make a flood-prone property safe or replace instructions to leave.

Have Supplies You Can Actually Use

An emergency kit should include water, food that does not require cooking, flashlights, batteries, phone chargers, medications, and basic personal supplies.

UF recommends at least three days of necessities. For water, a useful baseline is one gallon per person per day, with additional supplies as needed for pets and individual circumstances. UF Emergency Weather Updates

Think about what you would eat without electricity. Canned food is useful only if you can open it, so include a manual can opener if needed.

Choose flashlights or battery-powered lights rather than candles. UF advises against candles because of the fire risk. emergency.ufl.edu

Charge Your Phone—and Agree on Check-Ins

Charge phones, portable batteries, and other essential devices before conditions deteriorate.

Agree on a simple check-in plan with your family. Let them know where you are staying, who is with you, and when they should expect an update.

You do not need to keep your screen on all day. Preserve the battery while keeping your phone available for alerts and agreed check-ins.

A trusted local contact can also be helpful: a relative, family friend, or someone who knows where you live and how to reach you.

Parents, a planned check-in is usually more useful than repeatedly asking whether everything is okay. Students, one short message can save your family a great deal of worry.

Protect Important Belongings

If your apartment has a history of water intrusion, is flood-prone, or management identifies a concern, move electronics, documents, and valuables off the floor where practical.

Keep identification, medications, important contact information, and chargers together in case you need to leave.

Moving a laptop onto a table may help protect it from minor water intrusion. It does not make staying in an unsafe building a good idea.

Know Who to Call

Before the storm, save your management office number, after-hours instructions, and utility outage-reporting information.

Immediate danger, fire, serious injury, or a medical emergency: Call 911.

A power outage: Report it to your utility through its official outage channel. Follow management’s instructions about notifying them too.

A property emergency, such as active water intrusion or a significant leak: Contact management using the emergency procedure. Describe what is happening and your location clearly.

Photographs can help when they can be taken safely. Do not approach electrical hazards, climb onto a roof, or enter floodwater to document damage.

Emergency responders and vendors may be unable to travel during dangerous weather. That is one reason advance preparation matters.

If the Power Goes Out, Keep the Refrigerator Closed

Opening the refrigerator repeatedly will not bring the electricity back. It will let the cold air out.

According to the FDA, an unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours. A closed, full freezer generally holds its temperature for about 48 hours, or approximately 24 hours if half full. These are estimates; temperature and the condition of the food still matter. FDA

Follow food-safety guidance before eating perishables after an extended outage. Do not taste questionable food to decide whether it is safe.

After the Storm, Give It Time

The rain stopping does not mean every road, sidewalk, or parking lot is safe.

Stay away from downed power lines, flooded areas, damaged trees, and hanging limbs. Follow official guidance before traveling and report property damage when it is safe to do so. weather.gov

If management is checking properties, your response helps. Let them know whether you are safe and describe any damage accurately.

A Note for Parents

It is understandable to worry when your student is facing a Florida storm without you nearby.

Help them prepare while things are still calm. Ask whether they have supplies, know their emergency contacts, have discussed plans with roommates, and receive official alerts.

If you are considering bringing them home, make that decision early and account for weather conditions along the entire route. A last-minute drive may create more risk than following local shelter guidance.

The goal is not to frighten them. It is to help them handle a new responsibility with good information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Gainesville students need to evacuate for every hurricane?

No single answer applies to every storm or residence. Follow official instructions for the forecast, location, building type, and individual circumstances. Flood-prone properties and manufactured housing may require different plans.

Should students board apartment windows?

Only with management’s authorization and instructions. Do not make unapproved alterations to the property.

Does every apartment need sandbags?

No. Their usefulness depends on the property and expected conditions. Ask management and follow local recommendations.

What should students do if the power goes out?

Report the outage to the utility, preserve phone batteries, use battery-powered lighting, and keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Contact management about property concerns using the instructions provided.

What is the most important preparation step?

Make a plan before the storm: know where you will stay, have essential supplies, follow official alerts, and tell your roommates and family what you intend to do.

Meet Rebecca and KNR Property Management

I’m Rebecca Johnson, Broker/Owner of KNR Property Management. Our team manages long-term residential rentals, including student housing, throughout Gainesville, North Central Florida, and the Nature Coast.

We spend plenty of time answering questions that come with living independently for the first time. We would much rather help someone prepare before a storm than have them trying to figure everything out when the lights go out.

If you live in a KNR-managed property, watch for our weather notices and ask questions early. We will communicate property-specific instructions and help coordinate concerns as conditions allow.

A little preparation gives everyone fewer things to worry about—including the parent checking whether your phone is charged.