Winn-Dixie helps customers prepare for hurricane season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie Stores has announced its creation of a “hurricane preparedness kit” in advance of what is expected to be an extremely active year.

“Our guests can find the supplies to stock their hurricane kits at their neighborhood stores, and it can be done on a budget by using our customer reward card and taking advantage of this week’s hurricane preparedness stock up and save sale in our stores,” Winn-Dixie’s group VP marketing Mary Kellmanson said. “We are offering a number of buy one, get one sales, 10 for $10 items, and ‘Save ’til’ offers. That’s in addition to our Winn-Dixie brand products, which are better than or equal in quality to national brands at a significant cost savings.”

The timing of the announcement corresponded to the official start to the Atlantic hurricane season.

Kellmanson noted that the American Red Cross and emergency management officials urge people to have a “hurricane kit” with enough medicine, bottled water, canned and nonperishable foods, paper products, flashlights and batteries to last at least three days.

According to Winn-Dixie, a typical “hurricane kit” should include:

3-pack of gallon bottles of drinking water or 24-pack of 16-oz. bottles of water;

32-oz. bottle of Gatorade or 20-oz. bottle of Propel vitamin water or sports drink;

10-pack of Kool-Aid Jammers;

7.5-oz. or 15-oz. cans of spaghetti (Chef Boyardee);

4-pack of Kraft Handi-Snacks pudding and gel cups;

16-oz. jar of peanut butter;

16-oz. jar of jam or jelly;

6-pack of canned tuna or chicken;

5-oz. can of Vienna sausage;

12-oz. can of Spam or Hormel corned beef or 10-oz. can of Hormel Compleats or Chili Meals;

3.5-oz. package of beef jerky;

150-count foam plates;

50-count of 16-oz. red or clear plastic cups;

15-count of 13-gallon tall kitchen or 30-count of 4-gallon trash bags;

8-roll package of paper towels;

182-oz. bottle of liquid bleach;

Flashlights (one per person);

Batteries (D-cell, C-cell and AA-cell);

NOAA emergency alert weather radio;

10-in. battery-operated fan;

2.5-gallon plastic gasoline can

1-quart bottle of Coleman Liquid Fuel;

Magic Lamp with refill;

1 box of kitchen matches; and

1 bag of charcoal briquettes.

Experts predict the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season will have 12 to 18 named storms, six to 10 of which are predicted to become hurricanes. Forecasters expect three to six of those will strengthen to major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale) with sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour.