Hurricanes

In the event of a hurricane, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward) leads the ESF 8 Health and Medical Response at the Emergency Operations Center if activated. DOH-Broward is also responsible for the medical management and staffing of Special Needs Shelters (SpNS), if activated. DOH-Broward works in coordination with Broward County Emergency Management, hospitals, emergency medical services providers, as well as other ESF #8 partners. A SpNS is a place to go when there is no other sheltering option. Shelters may be activated during an emergency event to provide mass care for people who cannot safely remain in their home. SpNS are designed to meet the needs of people who require assistance that exceeds services provided at a general population shelter. SpNS are intended to provide, to the extent possible under emergency conditions, an environment that can sustain an individual's level of health.

For more information and to download the Broward County Special Needs Sheltering application, please visit Broward County's special needs shelter website. The application is available in English, Spanish and Creole at that website. 

We strongly recommend that children and adults register in advance. Please don’t wait until a storm is approaching.

Additional Information:

Florida Department of Health-Hurricane and Severe Weather Information
Hurricane Official Hurricane Site (broward.org)
Florida Department of Health-Florida Emergency Preparedness Guide
Disaster Planning Toolkit for People Living with Dementia