News

As Hurricane Irma approaches Florida, my Senate office stands ready to serve you.

• Know your area and the evacuation routes. They are available on the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Website.
• Shelter information for all Florida counties here. 
• Florida Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557
• FEMA hurricane guide here and Hurricane Irma Portal here.
• For those with internet, apply for FEMA disaster assistance by calling 800-621-3362.
• Florida’s traveler information system here or call 511.
• The USVI Department of Tourism is handling the evacuation of all Island visitors. It is recommended that you contact the Department of Tourism at (340) 774-USVI and (340) 772-0357 for up to date information on evacuation plans. Additionally, you can visit https://www.visitusvi.com/ for further information.
• Florida routes, traffic updates online, via twitter, or on your phone are available online here.
• Download the FEMA app for iPhone with emergency information by county here.        
• South Florida sandbag distribution sites here.
• To report price gouging please call 1-866-966-7226

Here are a few tips to help prepare ahead of Hurricane Irma:

• Have a plan to prepare your home and/or business with storm shutters or plywood. Bring items that could be picked up by the wind and break windows – like lawn furniture, toys, or trash cans – inside.
• Make sure you know where your home’s safe room is located. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) website details what a safe room should look like.
• Keep your automobile fully fueled; if electric power is cut off, gas stations may not be able to operate pumps for several days.
• Be prepared to survive on your own for a few days. Assemble a disaster kit with a battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, blankets, clothing, food, water, and prescription medications and needed medical supplies. The Florida Division of Emergency Management points you to a good list of items to have ready.
• Know how to shut off utilities. Know where gas pilots are located and how the heating and air-conditioning system works. If you have any questions, contact your local utility company.
• Gather your personal documents – insurance policy information, emergency contact information, and any other vital documents – somewhere they can be easily located and ready to take with you should you have to evacuate your home.

Miami-Dade County Shelters

• Miami Carol City Senior, 3301 Miami Gardens Dr., Miami Gardens
• Miami Central Senior, 1781 NW 95 St., Miami
• North Miami Senior, 13110 NE 8th Ave., North Miami
• TERRA Environmental, 11005 SW 84 St., Miami
• North Miami Beach Senior, 1247 NE 167 St., North Miami Beach
• South Miami Senior, 6856 SW 53 St., South Miami
• Felix Varela Senior, 15255 SW 96 St., West Kendall
• Pet-Friendly Center, 10901 Coral Way, Miami

> Find the closest open shelter

> Find the closest Hurricane Bus Pickup Site

Broward County shelters: 

The General Population Shelters are:

Coconut Creek Lyons Creek Middle School
4333 Sol Press Blvd.
Coconut Creek, 33073

Coconut Creek Monarch High School
5050 Wiles Rd.
Coconut Creek, 33073

Coral Springs Coral Glades High School
2700 Sportsplex Dr.
Coral Springs, 33065

Davie Fox Trail Elementary School
1250 Nob Hill Rd.
Davie, 33324

Fort Lauderdale Rock Island Elementary
2350 N.W. 19th Street
Fort Lauderdale, 33311

Fort Lauderdale Atlantic Technical (Arthur Ashe)
1701 N.W. 23rd Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, 33311

Pembroke Park Watkins Elementary School
3250 S.W. 52nd Ave.
Pembroke Park, 33023

Lauderdale Lakes Park Lakes Elementary School
3925 N. State Rd. 7
Lauderdale Lakes, 33319

Miramar Everglades High School
17100 S.W. 48 Court
Miramar, 33027

Miramar New Renaissance Middle School
10701 Miramar Blvd.
Miramar, 33025

Pembroke Pines West Broward High School
500 N.W. 209 Ave.
Pembroke Pines, 33029

Plantation Elementary School
651 N.W. 42nd Ave.
Plantation, 33317

Pompano Beach High School
600 N.E. 13 Ave.
Pompano Beach, 33060

Weston Falcon Cove Middle School
4251 Bonaventure Blvd.
Weston, 33332 

The Pet Friendly Shelter location is:
Tamarac
Millennium Middle School/Challenger Elementary School Campus
5803 NW 94th Ave.
Tamarac, 33321
(Not a general population shelter)

Constituents who use Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing programs, which include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Section 8 Projects, or HUD operated properties, and are unable to stay in their current residence should contact any of the following HUD contacts:

• HUD Region IV Office Deputy Regional Administrator Christopher Taylor- (678) 732-2321, Christipher.D.Taylor@hud.gov 
• HUD Miami Office contact Bob Cook- (305) 520-5027, Bob.W.Cook@hud.gov
• HUD Jacksonville Office contact Alesia Scott-Ford- (904) 208-6039, Alesia.ScottFord@hud.gov

Shelters for the homeless in Orlando can be found here.

Orange County shelters can be found here. 

Hillsborough County shelters can be found here. 

Pinellas County shelters can be found  here.

Pasco County shelters can be found here.

Hernando County shelters can be found here. 

Citrus County shelters can be found  here. 

Manatee County shelters can be found here. 

Sarasota County shelters can be found here. 

Hardee County shelters can be found here. 

Polk County shelters can be found here. 

Charlotte County shelters can be found here.

Collier County shelters can be found here. 

Desoto County shelters can be found here.

Glades County shelters can be found here. 

Hendry County shelters can be found here. 

Lee County shelters can be found here. 

Seminole County shelters can be found here. 

Volusia County shelters can be found here. 

Sumter County shelters can be found here. 

Palm Beach County shelters can be found here. 

Martin County shelters can be found here. 

St. Lucie County shelters can be found here. 

Indian River County shelters can be found here.

Okeechobee County shelters can be found here. 

Duval County shelters can be found here. 

St. Johns County shelters can be found here. 

Alachua County shelters can be found here. 

Nassau County shelters can be found here. 

Bradford County shelters can be found here. 

Flagler County shelters can be found here. 

Leon County shelters can be found here. 

Suwannee County shelters can be found here. 

Jackson County shelter: Marianna high school. 

Calhoun County: Blountstown High School. Altha School.

Taylor County: Taylor County Elementary School (pet friendly). Forest Capital Hall.

Madison County shelter can be found here. 

Gadsden County: Gadsden County High School. Havana Magnet School. West Gadsden Middle School. 

Santa Rosa County shelters can be found here. 

Escambia County shelters can be found here. 

Walton County shelters can be found here. 

Columbia County shelters:

Shelters – Five hurricane shelters will open at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, September 9. Shelter locations are as follows:
o *SPECIAL NEEDS ONLY SHELTER* Westside Elementary School, 1956 Co Rd 252B, Lake City, FL 32024
o Ft. White High School, 17828 FL-47, Fort White, FL 32038
o Winfield Community Center, 1324 N W Winfield St, Lake City, FL 32055 
o Richardson Sixth Grade Academy, 646 SE Pennsylvania St, Lake City, FL 32025
o Pinemount Elementary School, 324 S W Gabriel Pl, Lake City, FL 32024

Dixie County shelters:

Shelters will be open on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 10:00am
The General Population Shelter will be the Ruth Rains Middle School, located at 981 SE Hwy 351 Hwy in Cross City. Once that shelter is at capacity, the new Old Town Elementary School on CR 55A will be used.

The Special Needs Shelter will be at the Bell Health Academy (Bell High School) located at 930 South Main Street in Bell, Florida. For more information on Special Needs Patients and evacuations, please call Dixie County Emergency Management.

Gilchrist County:

Currently, there are voluntary evacuations starting at 10:00 A.M. Saturday September 9, 2017. General population shelters will be opened at 10:00 A.M. Saturday September 9, 2017.

Shelter Locations are:

• Trenton Elementary School 1201 W. Wade Street Trenton, FL 32693

• Bell Elementary School 2771 East Bell Avenue (NW 10th Ave) Bell, FL 32619

• Bell Health Academy SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER – (Behind main building of Bell High School) 930 S Main St Bell, FL 32619

Levy County

Shelter Locations:

Bronson Elementary School
400 Ishie Avenue
Bronson, Fl 32621

Bronson Middle High School
351 Ishie Avenue
Bronson, Fl 32621

Williston Middle High School
350 Robert Philpot Way
Williston, Fl 32696

Williston Elementary School
801 South Main Street
Williston, Fl 32696

Levy County Animal Services (Animal Control Facility)
12055 NE 69th Lane
Bronson, FL 32621
(352) 486-5138

Federal Disaster Assistance After the Storm
 
FEMA Hurricane Irma Portal | FEMA twitter  
FEMA en español | FEMA twitter en español
 

• Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance here or call 800-621-3362
• Department of Labor Hurricane Irma assistance click here.
• Replacement SNAP Card (food stamps) call 1-866-762-2237.
• Replacement green cards: Call 800-375-5283 or visit online.
• Remember, if you need help or have questions, please call our office and we will do our best to help.
• Floridians who have sustained property damage from severe storms and flooding are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at disasterassistance.gov.
• Florida veterans Hurricane Irma information click here. 
• If a Veteran is displaced, and has lost their medication and no longer has a written prescription or bottle, they can contact the Health Resources Center Disaster Hotline at 1 800 507 4571 to speak with a representative. The representative will qualify the request by asking a few questions and provide the Veteran with their prescription number. The Miami VAHS Pharmacy phone number is 305-575-3376.
• Replacement birth and death Certificates: Call 904-359-6900 or visit this website.
• Replacement bank checks, credit cards, and safe deposit boxes: Dial 877-275-3342 or visit here.
• Replacement credit cards: Call your issuer: American Express (800-992-3404), Discover (800-347-2683), MasterCard (800-622-7747), or Visa (800-847-2911).
• Credit Reports: Contact Equifax, Experian, or Transunion at 877-322-8228 or visit annualcreditreport.com.
• Social Security Emergency: Dial 800-772-1213 or visit here.
• Credit card fraud: Call 1-866-966-7226 visit here.
• Medicare Card: Dial 800-772-1213 or visit here.
• Passport: Call 877-487-2778 or click here.
• U.S. Savings Bonds: Visit here.
• Tax Returns: Call 800-829-1040 or visit here.
• Military Records: Call 866-272-6272 or visit here.
• Vehicle Titles: Call 850-617-2000 or 850-617-3000 or visit here.
• Replace a Florida Marriage Record or Certificate: call (904) 359-6900 Ext. 9000. Visit here for more information.
• Proof of Address/Residency: Visit here.
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders may contact their insurance agent directly to find out if they are eligible for reimbursement for actions taken to protect their property.

Some other useful resources:

• National Hurricane Center’s Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook
• Florida Division of Emergency Management
• Red Cross: What should I do BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER a hurricane?
• Red Cross: What supplies do I need?
• FEMA: What should I do BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER a hurricane?