Special Needs Evacuation Program

If you plan to stay at a special needs shelter but will get there on your own, we still strongly recommend registering. That way, we know who is coming and what they will need. 

Register now. Do not wait for an evacuation. Registration is open all year. The County decides which type of shelter you go to based on your registration form. You cannot pick a specific shelter. 

Eligibility 

Pinellas County residents of all ages may qualify. You must meet at least one of the following: 

• Medical needs: You have, or need help with, a condition such as: 
  • Reliance on supplemental oxygen or an electrically powered life-sustaining medical device. 
  • Assistance with medications. 
  • Dependence on dialysis. 
  • A diagnosis of memory impairment or a cognitive condition such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. 
  • A combination of health-related concerns that make a general population shelter unsafe for you. 

• Transportation: You do not have a vehicle or another way to get to a shelter. 

Note: People who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities are not eligible. Those facilities must have their own evacuation plans. 

How to Register 

There are several ways to register for the program: 

• Register online. 

• Call Pinellas County Emergency Management at (727) 464-3800 and ask for a form to be mailed to you. 

• Print a form and mail it to Pinellas County Emergency Management, 10750 Ulmerton Road, Building 1, Suite 267, Largo, FL 33778, or fax it to (727) 464-4024. 
  • Printable form in English 
  • Printable form in Spanish 
  • Printable form in Vietnamese 

• Ask your doctor or home health agency to help you register. 

After you register: If your application is accepted, you will receive a confirmation by email, or by mail if no email is on file. If your application does not meet the program criteria, Pinellas County Emergency Management will contact you. 

Keep your registration current: Each year, Pinellas County Emergency Management and your local fire department contact every registrant to confirm their information. Registrants who do not respond after several attempts are removed from the program. If an evacuation is ordered, we will contact you using the phone number and email you have on file. Please keep your contact information up to date by calling (727) 464-3800 or completing a new form if your information changes. 

How It Works 

The program is activated when a mandatory evacuation may be ordered. Here is what happens: 

1. We contact you before the evacuation order. When told to evacuate, you and your emergency contact will get a phone call, text and email. The message asks if you need a ride to a shelter. You will get this call if you live in a zone that may be included in an evacuation order, if you use life-sustaining equipment that requires electricity, or if you live in a mobile or manufactured home. 

2. Answer the message. If you say yes (you do need a ride), you are put on the pickup list and told approximately when your ride will arrive. If you say no, you will not be picked up for this storm, but you will stay in the program. If you do not answer, your local fire department will call you. If you say no and then change your mind, call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333. If the buses are still running, you may be able to get a ride. 

3. Be ready for your ride. For most people, a school bus with a firefighter on board will pick you up at home and take you to your shelter. Wheelchair-accessible buses are available. If the County has placed you in a medically managed facility, an ambulance will pick you up instead. Have your bags, medications, equipment and pets ready when your ride arrives. 

4. Rides stop before the storm. Buses stop running well before the weather becomes dangerous. Once an evacuation is ordered, you can only register for the program by calling the County Information Center, and only if you live in an evacuation zone that has been ordered to leave and you need a ride. Late requests cannot be guaranteed. This is why registering early matters. 

5. If you do not need a County ride to a shelter, you can drive yourself or have a family member, friend, or caregiver drive you to any open shelter. Before you leave, check which shelters are open, since this changes with each storm. Bring your medicines, medical equipment and supplies, and a caregiver if you need one. 

When an evacuation is ordered, a list of open shelters is posted at disaster.pinellas.gov and shared with local news outlets. Not every shelter opens for every storm, so check which ones are open before you go. 

Shelter Types 

Pinellas County opens three types of public shelters during a mandatory evacuation. Your answers on the registration form help us determine which type is right for you. This is where County-provided transportation will bring you. 

1. General Population Shelters – Open to everyone, registered or not. Most registrants who only need a ride are taken here. These shelters provide a safe place and meals, but little other help. Cots are not provided. Bring something to sleep on, like a cot or air mattress, and any comfort items you need. 

2. Pet-Friendly Shelters – General population shelters with a separate area for household pets. Open to everyone. You do not need a pet to stay here. 

3. Special Needs Shelters – For people whose medical needs cannot be met at a general population shelter, and their caregivers. Nurses and other staff from the Florida Department of Health run these shelters. They have generator power, oxygen, basic medical equipment and a limited number of cots. When you arrive, staff will check that the shelter can meet your needs. If it cannot, you may be sent to a different shelter. 

Important: You will be taken to the type of shelter you are assigned. You cannot ask for a specific location. If your needs change during the year, please update your registration. Shelter locations and open/closed status are posted on the Emergency Shelters page once an evacuation is ordered. 

Medical Facilities 

A small number of registrants have medical needs that are too great for a special needs shelter. For these people, Pinellas County works with local hospitals and other medical facilities to provide a place to stay during an evacuation. 

Placement in a medically managed facility is not available by request. You must qualify based on your level of care needs. We will let you know if you are placed in this category. 

If you are assigned to a medically managed facility, you will be told where to go and how to get there during a mandatory evacuation. Depending on your needs, you may be transported by ambulance, or you may travel by your own transportation. 

Unless you have been assigned to one, do not go to a hospital to shelter during an evacuation. Hospitals are not public shelters. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911. 

If transportation is provided for you, the ride to and from the facility is free. Fees may apply for care you receive at the facility, and if your condition gets worse and you are admitted as a patient, you are responsible for those charges. You cannot choose your facility, and you will not be sent to a facility outside of Pinellas County. 

What to Expect at a Special Needs Shelter 

Special needs shelters are run by nurses and other medical staff from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, with help from Pinellas County Schools staff. Oxygen and emergency power are available. 

Shelters serve three meals a day. Special diets are not available. If you have a special diet, bring your own food that does not need to be refrigerated. Cots are limited and not guaranteed, so bring bedding, pillows and blankets. 

Bring everything you need to care for yourself, including: 

• All prescriptions and medications. Staff will store medications that need to be refrigerated. 

• Your medical equipment and supplies. If you use an oxygen concentrator, CPAP, nebulizer or other medical device, you must bring it with you. 

• Copies of your medication list, your doctor’s contact information and your insurance cards. 

• Comfort items, several changes of clothes and personal hygiene items. 

• View the full list of recommended items. 

Caregivers and Family 

If you rely on a caregiver at home, we strongly recommend they come with you to the shelter. Shelter staff can give only limited care and cannot take the place of your caregiver. Immediate family members may come with you to any shelter. Caregivers and family should bring their own bedding, food and supplies. 

Pets and Service Animals 

Service animals trained to do work or perform a task for a person with a disability are allowed in every shelter. You do not need to register a service animal. 

Never leave your pet behind when you evacuate. Pets that are not service animals are not allowed in special needs shelters, but Pinellas County Animal Services staff will be there to take in and care for registrants’ pets and will take them to a safe animal shelter. Your pet can ride with you when you are picked up. Your pet will be returned to you when the shelter closes. Bring your pet’s food, medications, leash and any records you have. If you are not able to bring these items or a crate, your pet will still be accepted. 

Returning Home 

After the storm, your fire department will arrange your ride home once it is safe. Fire crews may be checking for damage and doing rescues first, so rides home may not start right away. If you find your own ride home sooner, please tell shelter staff before you leave. 

If you cannot go home right away, you may be moved to a step-down shelter at a community center. This can happen if you are waiting for a ride or waiting for power or water to come back on at home. If you use life-sustaining equipment that requires electricity, you will not be taken home until we confirm your power is on.