Evacuation Info

Should I evacuate?

Sarasota County issues evacuation alerts when there is a hurricane warning issued for our area.  Depending on the potential severity of a storm, alerts will be issued for one or more zones (or "evacuation levels").  All of the barrier islands are in Zone A, which is the first to get an evacuation alert.  Florida does not order mandatory evacuations, but municipalities will typically shut off water and sewer service when winds reach a certain level, and the storm may cause power, internet, and cell phone service to go out, making it unpleasant, if not already dangerous, to stay. 

Most, if not all, of the original single-story homes on St. Armands got flooded during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, as well as first-floor condos.  But, even if the living space of your home is elevated, would you want to stay there for multiple days without electricity, air conditioning, water, sewer, internet, or cell phone service?  Condo residents discovered that their elevators and parking garage gates didn't work.  Even people with homes with whole-house generators discovered that they would automatically shut off after a few days of continuous operation, or that the gas company would turn off their service. 

What if the bridges on/off the island were compromised which also happened during the storms of 2024?  Do you have enough non-perishable food, fresh water, and medications to last until access is restored, and how can you know when that will be?  In addition to all utilities being out, could you tolerate the debris, dust, and smell that lingers afterwards, and potentially being the only people in an otherwise deserted neighborhood without access to news or information?  How long could you last, and would you want to?

Consider taking a mini-vacation the next time a hurricane warning looks like it might be issued for your zone.  Pick a city on the other coast of Florida and go stay for a few days.  Or catch a flight somewhere.  During Hurricane Milton, a hotel near the Sarasota airport had windows blown out, and a downtown hotel cancelled all reservations at the last minute.  Storms generally weaken as they travel over the land, so the idea is to get far enough away for this to happen.  Wait until power and water are restored before returning.  You'll need power for air conditioning and water for cleaning (power-washing).

Long before you are confronted with this decision, consider asking a friend or contracting with someone on the mainland who can check on your home while you are away.  But keep in mind that even they may not be able to get out to the islands immediately after a storm.  The stormwater pumps on St. Armands have been unreliable, causing flood water to remain on our streets for days.  

Evacuation tips:

The longer you wait to evacuate, the harder it will be to find a hotel and the worse the traffic will be.  Consider booking a hotel before you're sure that you'll even need it.  Choose a hotel that lets you cancel up to a day before.  The absolute latest you should leave is one and a half days before a storm is expected to make landfall.  Leave two or more days before if you can.

How long should you book the hotel for?  It depends on how long power, water, and access to the islands will be out, and that's not possible to know beforehand.  Depending on the forecasted severity of the storm, consider making two or even three separate bookings for two or three nights each that you can use or cancel depending on the situation.

Here are a bunch of things you should be ready to do once you make the decision to evacuate: