Florida records more lightning strikes per square mile than any other state, and the corridor running through Marion County sits inside the most active band of it. The damage almost never comes from a direct hit. It comes from an induced surge travelling in on the utility line from a strike a quarter mile away, and it lands on whatever is plugged in.
A Type 2 device installed at the service entrance clamps that surge before it enters the branch circuits. Plug-in strips are a second layer for sensitive electronics, not a substitute, because they only protect what is downstream of them and they do nothing for hardwired equipment like an air handler, a well pump, or a range.
The device gets installed on a dedicated breaker as close to the main as the panel allows, because the length of the conductor between the device and the bus directly affects how much let-through voltage gets past it.
Technician insight
Surge devices are consumable. They absorb energy until they stop, and most have an indicator light that nobody ever looks at. Check yours after any significant storm season.