JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jax Ready Fest is taking over the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in Downtown Jacksonville Friday, and it’s all to help you and your family prepare for any hurricane or storm that may hit during the upcoming hurricane season.
Groups like the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), the Red Cross and JEA are hosting workshops for both children and adults on how to stay safe before, during and after a storm.
"People get ready for hurricane season when it’s 5 days out," JFRD Emergency Operations Center Director Aundre Ayoub said. "My goal in this position is to not just educate the community, but also teach them to start preparing now, put that emergency kit together now."
Jax Ready Fest is free for every family, so both parents and their children can gear up for hurricane season.
Not only will families get free gear at the event for their survival kit, they'll also learn how to stay safe if the First Coast gets hit by a storm and who to reach out to for help during those times. Thinking about an emergency plan now will decrease panic buying and other anxieties that come when a storm is just days away from hitting the area.
“We want everyone to have the opportunity to learn and prepare for all emergencies, not just hurricane season, but going into summer they need to know water safety, basic first aid,” said Shannon Nelson, a Jax Ready Fest organizer.
You and your family can check out Jax Ready Fest all weekend long. Festivities will take place both Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.