Evacuation Assistance
St. Johns County will assist residents who need transportation to a shelter anytime an evacuation is ordered. There are 3 levels of evacuation assistance available:
- Requires transportation only to a General Population or Pet Friendly Shelter
- Special medical need AND requires transportation assistance to a Special Medical Needs Shelter
- Special medical need that requires a Special Medical Needs Shelter. Does NOT require transportation assistance.
Assistance Registration
Evacuation Assistance and Special Medical Needs Shelter
3 Ways to Register
Register Now!
Do not wait for an approaching hurricane to register. Registration can be done throughout the year. The best time to register is before hurricane season begins. If you need assistance, make this an important part of your plan.
Medical Requirements
You must meet a certain medical criterion to be assigned to a Special Medical Needs Shelter. Special Medical Needs Shelters are for people with medical needs that can’t be met in a General Population Shelter. Learn about what is and is not available at a Special Needs Shelter.
Registration Submission
Submitting the Evacuation Assistance Form does not mean you are automatically registered. Assistance forms will be reviewed and entered into our database once approved. Staff will contact you if we are unable to provide adequate assistance at the shelter.
Update Your Information
Once you’re registered, let us know of any changes to your needs or your address. If you no longer need our help, please notify us as soon as possible.
What the Assistance Program Does NOT Do
St. Johns County does not evacuate residents of:
- nursing homes
- convalescent homes
- retirement homes
- assisted living facilities
- or other group facilities
Residents will look to the management of their facility for an organized group evacuation. Under Florida State Statute 252, these facilities are required to have an Emergency Plan to evacuate their residents to a predetermined location outside the evacuation area.
We do not do special transportation requests, and we do not transport outside of St. Johns County. The Evacuation Assistance Program only transports residents in St. Johns County to and from shelters in St. Johns County.
If you require ambulance transportation and / or hospital facilities, you or your caregiver should make those arrangements ahead of time.
Transportation During an Evacuation – How it Works
- Pick-up notification – In the event of an evacuation, you will be contacted by the Emergency Operations Center with your assigned pick-up time. You will be given as much advanced notification as possible to allow you to prepare for an evacuation.
However, it is important to understand that if you chose not to evacuate at your assigned time, resources may not be available to return to pick you up at a later time. - Gather your shelter supplies – Once contacted, please gather your shelter supplies and have them ready by the door. If you have a pet that is evacuating with you, have your pet shelter supplies ready also.
- Your Allotted space – Each individual will be allocated 20 square feet in the General and Pet Friendly Shelters and 60 square feet in the Special Medical Needs Shelters. Please prepare and pack your supplies accordingly.
