You need to do more than get your home ready for a hurricane. You need to get ready, too.

That means building a hurricane kit by assembling the food, water, medication and gear you and your household will need to ride out the storm. But your needs will vary: Your children and your grandparents will require different supplies than you, and everyone will have to take a different approach depending on whether you stay home, head to a shelter or go to someone else’s house.

That’s why the Tampa Bay Times has assembled several checklists to help you prepare, no matter the situation.

The most important rule of hurricane prep is the seven-day rule: Florida officials urge residents to have seven days’ worth of nonperishable food and water per family member (including pets). That’s how long it could take before help and supplies reach your area after a devastating storm. The standard hydration rule is that each person will need at least one gallon of water per day.

You should keep at least 30 days’ worth of prescription medication on hand. Getting refills after a storm won’t be easy.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (www.floridadisaster.org), the Department of Homeland Security (www.dhs.gov), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (www.ready.gov/kit) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/childrenindisasters/checklists/kids-and-families.html) also offer checklists.

Hurricane kits should be built for different purposes, whether for staying in an evacuation shelter or in someone else’s home. Remember that when you go to a shelter, you’re not going camping. Water, meals and perhaps even beds will be provided. But if you go to someone’s house, don’t rely on them to feed, care for and hydrate your family. Do your part.

So get your seven-day supply ready first, then go through these checklists:

Build a go bag — aka a “bug out bag” — that has everything you’ll need in a backpack or two if you have to evacuate with little notice. It’s the kind of bag you should keep ready year-round in Florida, where the weather can always turn against us.

If you lose power after a storm, if your home or neighborhood gets hit hard or if help is unable to reach you for a while, this gear will make your wait at home much easier. If you have camping gear, you’re already in good shape.

In an emergency, your vehicle may be the safest place you can stay after a storm. So make sure it has what your family needs.

Whether evacuating or staying, children need a hurricane kit, too. Their needs vary by age, and remember to get 30 days’ worth of their prescription medications in advance, too. If you’re breastfeeding, experts say to keep a week’s worth of powdered formula on hand, just in case.

If you’re staying home, make your life easier and get your pet’s hurricane kit ready now. Getting your pet microchipped will help ensure you’ll be reunited with your pet if you’re separated. Keep your microchip contact information up to date. Also, make sure your pet is wearing a tag with your current contact information. Some shelters do accept pets, but you’ll still need to pack up their gear. The CDC has a pet emergency kit checklist at cdc.gov/cpr/readywrigley/documents/pet_emergency_kit_checklist.pdf.

You can buy a ready-made first-aid kit or build a robust one yourself.

IT’S HURRICANE SEASON: Get ready and stay informed at tampabay.com/hurricane

RISING THREAT: Tampa Bay will flood. Here’s how to get ready.

DOUBLE-CHECK: Checklists for building all kinds of hurricane kits

PHONE IT IN: Use your smartphone to protect your data, documents and photos

SELF-CARE: Protect your mental health during a hurricane

PART 1: The Tampa Bay Times partnered with the National Hurricane Center for a revealing look at future storms.

PART 2: Even weak hurricanes can cause huge storm surges. Experts say people don’t understand the risk.

PART 3: Tampa Bay has huge flood risk. What should we do about it?

INTERACTIVE MAP: Search your Tampa Bay neighborhood to see the hurricane flood risk

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