Hurricane Irma is one of the most powerful Category 5 hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic. The storm is barreling toward Florida with winds that have reached speeds as high as 185 mph, prompting officials to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the Sunshine State and causing many to seek shelter elsewhere.
The storm is causing disruptions across the state.
Below is a list of shelter locations opening in preparation for Hurricane Irma:
In order to find a hurricane shelter close to you, you can text the word "shelter" and your zip code to the number 4-F-E-M-A or 4-3-3-6-2.
CITRUS COUNTY
- General Population:
- Lecanto Middle School, 3 3800 West Educational Path, Lecanto
- Central Ridge Elementary 185 W. Citrus Springs Blvd Citrus Springs, FL 34434
- Lecanto High School 3810 W. Educational Path Lecanto, FL 34461
- Forest Ridge Elementary 2927 N. Forest Ridge Blvd Hernando, FL 34442
- Pet Friendly
- Lecanto Primary School, 3790 West Educational Path, Lecanto
- Special Needs
- Renaissance School 3630 West Educational Path, Lecanto
HERNANDO COUNTY: A mandatory evacuation order has been filed for the coastal zone A, B, and mobile homes county wide. Shelters will open at 2 p.m., Friday, September 8, 2017, for residents in these zones.
Challenger K-8, 13400 Elgin Blvd., Spring Hill, 34609, is at capacity for general public as of 7 p.m. Sept. 9. They are accepting special needs only.
West Hernando Middle School, 14325 Ken Austin Parkway, Brooksville, 34613, is open for general population.
Nature Coast Technical High School, 4057 California St., Spring Hill, 34604, is open to general population and pet friendly. You must bring a carrier/kennel.
Explorer K-8, 10252 Northcliff Blvd., Spring Hill, 34608, is open to general population.
Hernando High School, 700 Bell Ave., Brooksville, 34601, is at capacity and closing doors at 8 p.m. today.
D. S. Parrott Middle School, 19220 Youth Dr., Brooksville, 34601, is at capacity and closed.
(Brooksville, FL) Pet sheltering at Parrott Middle School, located at 19220 Youth Dr. in Brooksville, is full. To accommodate the demand, Nature Coast Technical High School, located at 4057 California St. in Spring Hill, will open a section of the school away from other evacuees for pet sheltering. You must bring your own portable carrier or kennel.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY: These shelters are currently OPEN:Armwood High School, 12000 U.S. 92 (wheelchair accessible)
* Barrington Middle School, 5925 Village Center Drive, Lithia (wheelchair-accessible)
* Bartels Middle School, 9020 Imperial Oak Blvd., Tampa (pet-friendly)
* Benito Middle School, 10101 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa (wheelchair-accessible)
* Bevis Elementary School, 5720 Osprey Ridge Drive, Lithia
* Bloomingdale High School, 1700 East Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico
* Cannella Elementary School, 10707 Nixon Road, Tampa
* Carrollwood Elementary School, 3516 McFarland Rd., Tampa (wheelchair-accessible)
* Chiles Elementary School, 16541 Tampa Palms Blvd. W, Tampa
* Cimino Elementary School, 4329 Culbreath Road, Valrico
* Collins Elementary School, 12424 Summerfield Blvd., Riverview
* Cork Elementary School, 3501 N. Cork Rd., Plant City
* Heritage Elementary School, 18201, East Meadows Road, Tampa
* Knights Elementary School, 4815 N. Keene Road, Plant City
* Lake Magdalene Elementary School, 2002 Pine Lake Drive, Tampa
* Marshall Middle School, 18 South Maryland Ave., Plant City (wheelchair-accessible)
* McKitrick Elementary School, 5503 Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz
* McLane Middle School, 306 N. Knights Ave., Brandon
* Mulrennan Middle School, 4215 Durant Road, Tampa (wheelchair-accessible)
* Nelson Elementary School, 5413 Durant Road, Tampa
* Newsome High School, 16510 Fish Hawk Blvd., Lithia (wheelchair-accessible)
* Pride Elementary School, 18271 Kinnan St., Tampa
* Reddick Elementary School, 325 West Lake Drive, Wimauma (wheelchair-accessible)
* The Regent, 6437 Watson Road, Riverview (special needs only)
* Sessums Elementary, 11525 Ramble Creek Drive, Riverview
* Sgt. Paul Smith Middle School, 14303 Citrus Pointe Drive, Tampa (pet friendly)
* Stowers Elementary School, 13915 Barrington Stowers Drive, Lithia
* Tomlin Middle School, 501 N. Woodrow Wilson, Plant City (wheelchair-accessible)
* Wilson Elementary School, 702 English St., Plant City
Special-needs shelters are only for residents with medical issues that require electricity assistance or cognitive issues that would not be supported in a general population shelter.
Residents should bring only essential items including: blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, and air mattresses; clothing and toiletries; prescriptions; special dietary foods and favorite snacks; diapers, bottles, and other baby supplies; important paperwork in a waterproof container. Cards, books, and games can help pass the time, especially for young children.
Residents bringing pets to a pet-friendly shelter must bring a sturdy carrier for each pet that allows room for the pet to stand up and move around, as well as a collar with a leash, and supplies for each pet to last seven days. More information on how residents can prepare their pets can be found at HCFLGov.net/residents/animals-and-pets/pet-ownership/pet-disaster-planning.
Residents can confirm evacuation zones and register for HCFL Alert, Hillsborough County's official public notification system, at HCFLGov.net/StaySafe or by calling (813) 272-5900.
PASCO COUNTY:
SHELTERS ACCEPTING PETS:
• Sanders Elementary, 5126 School Road, Land O Lakes
• Oakstead Elementary, 19925 Lake Patience Rd., Land O Lakes
• Connerton Elementary, 9300 Flourish Dr., Land O Lakes
• Pine View Elementary, 5333 Parkway Blvd., Land O Lakes
• Veterans Elementary, 26940 Progress Parkway, Wesley Chapel
• Seven Oaks Elementary, 27633 Mystic Oak Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Double Branch Elementary, 31500 Chancey Rd., Wesley Chapel
• Pasco Middle School, 13925 14th St., Dade City
• James W. Mitchell High School, 2323 Little Rd, New Port Richey
• Fivay High School, 12115 Chicago Ave., Hudson
• River Ridge Middle/High School, 11646 Town Center Rd., New Port Richey
• Longleaf Elementary School, 3253 Town Ave., New Port Richey
• Odessa Elementary School, 12810 Interloken Rd., New Port Richey
• Schrader Elementary School, 11041 Little Rd., New Port Richey
• Trinity Elementary School, 2209 Duck Slough Blvd., New Port Richey
• New River Elementary School, 4710 River Glen Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, 30649 Wells Rd., Wesley Chapel
• Raymond B. Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., Zephyrhills
• Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel
*Registered sex offenders will be housed at this site, at a different location
*Special needs and the general population can also be housed at this site
*Attention Pet Owners: Shelters are out of pet crates. If you don’t have a crate, your pet must be on a leash and stay with you the entire time. There is no weight/size limit for dogs. If you have an aggressive dog (or any pet with previous aggression issues), please think twice about using the shelter or make sure the pet is muzzled. Cats and other small pets must be in secured in a crate or other means of control. Click here for a list of pet supplies and other helpful information: http://bit.ly/2xRm5qJ.
SHELTERS NOT ACCEPTING PETS:
• Centennial Middle School, 38505 Centennial Rd., Dade City (At capacity for pets.)
• Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O Lakes
SHELTERS THAT ARE FULL:
• Wesley Chapel High School at 30651 Wells Rd., Wesley Chapel is no longer accepting general population evacuees as it is being used to house skilled nursing facility patients.
• Mike Fasano Regional Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., Hudson is at capacity.
Citizens should first attempt to find shelter with neighbors, relatives or friends. If that is not an option, citizens can self-evacuate to the shelter. For assistance getting to a shelter, call Pasco County Customer Service at 727.847.2411.
PINELLAS COUNTY: Open Friday at 12 p.m. Residents seeking shelter Friday morning can ride a Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) bus for free.
- Boca Ciega High School (924 58th St. S., Gulfport)
- Campbell Park Elementary School (1051 7th Ave. S., St. Petersburg)
- Carwise Middle School (3301 Bentley Drive, Palm Harbor)
- Clearwater Fundamental Middle School (1660 Palmetto St., Clearwater)
- Dunedin Community Center (1920 Pinehurst Rd, Dunedin)
- Dunedin Elementary School (900 Union St., Dunedin)
- Dunedin Highland Middle School (70 Patricia Ave., Dunedin)*
- Gibbs High School (850 34th St. South, St. Petersburg)
- John Hopkins Middle School (701 16th St. South, St. Petersburg)*
- Largo High School (410 Missouri Ave., Largo)
- Lealman Innovation Academy (4900 28th St. N., St. Petersburg)
- New Heights Elementary School (3901 37th St. N., St. Petersburg)
- Oak Grove Middle School (1370 S. Belcher Road, Clearwater)*
- Palm Harbor University High School (1900 Omaha St., Palm Harbor)
- St. Petersburg High School (2501 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg)
- Tarpon Springs Middle School (501 N. Florida Ave., Tarpon Springs)
*Special Needs/Pet-Friendly Shelter
POLK COUNTY: Open Saturday at 7 a.m.
- Auburndale High School: 1 Bloodhound Trail, Auburndale
- Bartow High School: 1270 S. Broadway, Bartow
- Chain of Lakes Elementary: 7001 CR 653, Winter Haven
- Davenport School of the Arts: 4751 N CR 547, Davenport
- Donald Bronson Community Center: 124 Bronson Trail, Polk City
- George Jenkins High School: 6000 Lakeland Highlands, Lakeland
- Haines City High School, 2800 Hornet Dr., Haines City
- Horizons Elementary: 1700 Forest Lake Drive, Davenport
- Lake Marion Creek Elem.: 3055 Lk. Marion Creek Rd., Poinciana
- Lake Region High School (pet friendly): 1995 Thunder Road, Eagle Lake
- Pet owners must bring shot records for their pets, an airline-approved carrying case or crate and pet food.
- Mulberry Middle School: 500 Martin Luther King Ave., MulberryTenoroc High School: 4905 Saddle Creek Rd., Lakeland
- Phillip O'Brien Elementary: 1255 E. Lime St., Lakeland
- R. Bruce Wagner Elementary: 5500 Yates Rd., Lakeland
- Spook Hill Elementary: 321 Dr. J.A. Wiltshire Ave., E., Lake Wales
- Sleepy Hill Elementary: 2285 Sleepy Hill Dr., Lakeland
“Special Needs” Shelters will also open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, for those residents with special medical needs. Polk County Emergency Management Special Needs Program is designed to provide shelter and/or transportation for residents with medical or physical conditions and/or dependent on medical electrical equipment who require assistance during an emergency. The “Special Needs” Shelters are located at:
- McKeel Academy: 1810 W. Parker St., Lakeland
- Polk Co. Health Department: 1255 Brice Blvd., Bartow
- Ridge Community H. S.: 500 W. Orchid Dr., Davenport
MANATEE COUNTY
- Braden River High School (pet friendly): 6215 River Club Blvd., Bradenton
- Myakka Elementary School: 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City
- Manatee High School (pet friendly): 1000 32nd Street West, Bradenton
- Mills Elementary ( secondary pet friendly): 7200 69th Street East, Palmetto
- Nolan Middle School (pet-friendly, special needs): 6615 Greenbrook Boulevard in Lakewood Ranch
SARASOTA COUNTY
- Atwater Elementary School: 4701 Huntsville Ave, North Port
- Booker High School: 3201 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota
- Brookside Middle School (pet friendly - to host evacuees from south Florida): 3636 S. Shade Ave., Sarasota
- Heron Creek Middle School, 6501 W. Price Blvd., North Port (pet friendly)
- North Port High School, 6400 W. Price Blvd., North Port (pet friendly) - AT CAPACITY...evacuees being diverted to Heron Creek (pet friendly)
- Phillippi Shores Elementary School, 4747 Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
- Southside Elementary School, 1901 Webber St., Sarasota
- Woodland Middle School (pet friendly): 2700 Panacea Blvd., North Port
- Venice Community Center in Venice: 326 Nokomis Ave S, Venice
HARDEE COUNTY
- Hilltop Junior High School: 2401 US Hwy. 17N, Wauchula - Opens at 9:00 a.m. Saturday
SUMTER COUNTY
- Sumter County Fairgrounds: 7620 SR 471, Webster
- If you are in need of transportation to the shelter, call 352-569 3190.
