AUSTIN, TX — Emergency Preparation Supply Holiday is here!
Now you may be wondering... what on earth holiday is this?
It’s a sales tax holiday. This weekend you can head out to your local appliance stores to pick up all your emergency supply needs tax-free.
Whether you’re picking up a flashlight, portable charger, or batteries. They’ll all be tax-free this weekend to help you prepare for emergencies.
Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday takes place every year on the last Saturday of April and lasts until the last Monday of the month.
“The tax-free weekend is an opportunity for people to save some money and get their supplies,” said Jerry Henry, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Bryan.
Batteries plus bulbs have been serving the Brazos Valley for 14 years allowing customers to be well equipped with all their electric needs.
This year, they're gladly open for community members looking to take advantage of this tax-free holiday weekend.
“Most people would buy when they need something but not necessarily have the ability to when there is an emergency,” said Canyon Baxley, Co-owner of Batteries Plus Bulbs.
Many times, people make note of the things they need while in an emergency.
This legislative billadded in 2015 reminds community members to remain prepared at all times. The hope is to prevent people from finding themselves in unfortunate situations like winter storm Uri showed.
”It allows people to better prepare themselves," added Baxley. "So that we're not caught with our pants down-more or less-like we did with ERCOT and the power problems we had with the most recent ice storms,”
The winter storm allowed people across the state to learn from that experience.
Jerry Henry an emergency management coordinator for the city of Bryan suggests taking note of what you have and what you still need.
“Seeing what you already have and purchasing some of these things that you would need," added Henry. "Something I think is very important too that we suggest around here is to get an emergency radio,”
He says the best thing to do is create a 'Go Kit', so if you got to go, you can grab it and go.
Canyon Baxley the co-owner of batteries plus bulbs expressed many people don’t know they need these supplies until it’s too late. The minor things are usually looked over to keep handy such as batteries, flashlights, or portable chargers.
“The biggest connection people have to the world is through their phones and being able to re-charge those when you don’t have an ability to gives you a lifeline you might not have otherwise,” Baxley shared.
On the list of emergency items up for grabs this tax-free weekend are generators, coolers, first aid kits, and gasoline fuel containers.
Severe weather can come at any time but in particular, the best time to prepare is from March-June.
Our first alert weather team is watching some serve weather roll in. This weekend couldn't have come at a better time to get prepared for an emergency.
For a complete list of qualifying items, read here!
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