Emergency Public Shelters
The active hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 have shown us that it is absolutely necessary to have an evacuation plan prepared long before hurricane season arrives. It is important to have several options in your plan, just in case your first choice does not work out. If your first two or three options fall through and you have no other safe place to go, you should go to a Lee County Emergency Public Shelter. The shelter is a safe place to evacuate to before a storm; however, it offers only the basic life sustaining necessities, such as shelter from the weather, water, food and Port-O-Lets. Also make sure the shelter you plan to go to is open. All thirty-two listed shelters will not open for every storm.
Since we cannot predict how damaging the effects of each storm will be, we also cannot predict how long you may have to remain housed in the shelter. That is why we recommend evacuating outside the storm/evacuation areas, if at all possible. You must bring your own personal hygiene items, sleeping bags/cots, blankets, towels, snacks, drinks and other comfort items to the shelter. You can print a copy of our Disaster Survival Kit for a more complete listing of items to make your stay at the shelter more comfortable. It is likely the shelter will not have electricity for the majority of time you are there.
Anyone that lived here during the 2004-2005 hurricane season knows how stressful it is before, during and after the storm. That is compounded when you are living in a shelter with many other people that are experiencing the same feelings. Being considerate of others and having a positive attitude will be helpful to everyone. Volunteer to help whenever possible. Listen for official information and do not participate in gossip or rumors, which can be very disruptive.
Weapons, smoking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited at all shelters.
People with Special Needs
Special Care Shelters are available for people who have special medical needs that cannot be accommodated in an Emergency Public Shelter. You must pre-register to be considered for the Special Care Shelter. These applications are reviewed by a representative from the Department of Health to determine whether they meet the requirements. If you are assigned to a Special Care Shelter, a caregiver must accompany you during your stay to take care of you and your personal needs.
Our Brochure For People with Special Needs will help you decide if you are a candidate for a Special Care Shelter. You can print our Application for the Special Needs Program and Instructions for the Special Needs Program. These are also available in Spanish - Solicitud de Inscripcion Programa de Necesidades Especiales 2008, Programa de Necesidades Especiales 2008, & Para la Gente con Necesidades Especiales 2008.
If your physician decides that you need to be cared for in a hospital, he/she needs to arrange pre-admittance and must give you a script stating you are to be taken to the hospital. This script must be dated for the current year and must accompany you to the hospital. You are also required to bring a caregiver with you to take care of you and your needs while at the hospital. There will be no accommodations for the caregiver, so they are responsible for bringing their own cot/sleeping bag, blankets, towels, personal hygiene items, snacks, etc.
Transportation
There are several modes of shelter transportation available during an evacuation. The LeeTran buses will pickup people at the Hurricane Evacuation bus stops throughout the County and drop off at the Emergency Public Shelters free of charge. If you need a ride to the Emergency Public Shelter but cannot get to the bus stop, you can request transportation by completing the Special Needs Application and requesting transportation to the Emergency Public Shelter.
If you are a person with Special Needs, you can request transportation to the Special Care Shelter when you complete the application. Your request will be evaluated and you will be assigned appropriate transportation based upon the information on your application. You will be notified that your transportation will arrive during a block of time. You must be ready to leave as soon as your transportation arrives, so make sure all your shelter items are ready. You are responsible for carrying all your own belongings, so pack carefully and do not bring more items than you can manage.
Pets
In a hurricane pets are subject to the same hazards as people and have many of the same needs. Remember, you cannot bring your pets to the shelter and you may be away from home for a number of days. The best plan is to identify a safe location to evacuate to that allows pets, such as a friend’s home or a pet friendly hotel. You can also check the internet for sites such as www.pets-allowed-hotels.com/ to find a hotel outside the evacuation area.
Your pets will need a Hurricane Disaster Kit, too. Include water, non-perishable food, and medications to keep your pets healthy, clean and free of parasites. Keep a sturdy cage or carrier to comfortably hold your pet and/or a collar and leash. Make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date and keep a copy of the records with you, as well as a few good photos in case you get separated. Be sure identification tags are on the collars. Talk to your veterinarian about microchip identification for your pets.
Remember:
- Never leave your pets outside during a storm.
- Never leave a cat with a dog, even if the two are normally friends.
- Confine and keep small pets (birds, hamsters, etc.) away from cats and dogs.
- Dangerous animals should be secured in special crates or cages.
- Any unsecured animals posing a danger will be at risk of being destroyed.
All animal facilities in the path of a hurricane are subject to some degree of damage or flooding. Keep in mind, boarding kennels and animal hospitals may be without electricity or potable water and have limited personnel and supplies for days to weeks following a disaster.
Local animal services phone number: Lee County - (239) 432-2083
Humane Society of Lee County phone number: (239) 332-0364