Calhoun County hurricane guide¶
Calhoun County Emergency Management, in Blountstown, coordinates disaster planning and response for the county, the City of Blountstown, and the Town of Altha. Calhoun is inland and has no storm surge evacuation zones, but the county warns that even a tropical storm can bring flooding, tornadoes, wind damage, and long power outages. If you live in a mobile home, RV, or flood prone area, or rely on powered medical equipment without a backup, plan to shelter somewhere safer.
Checked on September 30, 2026
Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Calhoun County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.
Emergency and information numbers¶
| Service | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 | Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger. |
| Emergency management office | 850-674-8075 | Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| County information line | 850-674-4545 | Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 850-674-5049 | For police matters that are not emergencies. |
| Road and traffic conditions (FL511) | 511 | Evacuation routes and road closures. |
Official alerts and information¶
- Alert Calhoun: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
- Calhoun County Emergency Management: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
- 2026 Calhoun County Hurricane Guide: The county's printable guide, with a supply list, shelter advice, and local phone numbers. Website.
- Calhoun Evacuation Map: Map of evacuation routes in the county. Website.
Evacuation centers¶
Open only when announced
Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.
Calhoun County does not publish a list of general shelters in advance. Watch Alert Calhoun and the county emergency management page for shelters that open when a storm threatens. The county's special needs shelter sheet lists the special needs shelter at Liberty County High School, 12852 NW CR 12, Bristol, in neighboring Liberty County. It opens only when announced, and only service animals are allowed there. The state's shelter status page lists shelters that are open now.
Official list of open evacuation centers
Help to evacuate¶
- Florida Special Needs Registry: For people who need help with daily living, need transportation, or depend on electricity for medical equipment. Choose Calhoun County when you sign up. If you register for transportation help, you will be called during an evacuation. Registration does not guarantee a shelter spot. Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. Website.
- Florida Department of Health in Calhoun County: Questions about special needs sheltering. Bring a caregiver, your medications and medical supplies, bedding, and ID to a special needs shelter. Phone: 850-674-5645. Website.
Radio, TV and weather¶
Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.
Radio stations¶
| Station | Frequency | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WFSY | 98.5 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
| WPAP | 92.5 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
| WFLF-FM | 94.5 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
| WKGC-FM | 90.7 FM | English | Public radio station of Gulf Coast State College in Panama City. |
| WFSW | 89.1 FM | English | WFSU news and information service for the Panama City area, licensed to Panama City. |
Emergency Alert System roles come from the Florida state EAS plan, last revised in April 2021.
NOAA Weather Radio¶
A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.
| Station | Frequency | Transmitter |
|---|---|---|
| KGG67 | 162.550 MHz | Panama City |
| WNG633 | 162.425 MHz | Sneads |
TV stations¶
| Station | Channel | Network | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| WJHG-TV (WJHG NewsChannel 7) | 7 | NBC | English |
| WMBB | 13 | ABC | English |
| WPGX | 28 | Fox | English |
| WFSG (WFSU) | 56 | PBS | English |
Official forecasts¶
- National Weather Service Tallahassee: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 850-942-8833. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-342-7400. Website.
- Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative (GCEC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-568-3667. Website.
- City of Blountstown Electric Department: City utility office. The city does not publish a separate outage line. Phone: 850-674-5488. Website.
- Florida Public Utilities: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-427-7712. Website.
- Storm debris removal guidelines: Follow county instructions after a storm. If debris collection is authorized, put debris at the edge of the public right of way, sorted into separate piles, and away from the road, ditches, storm drains, power poles, mailboxes, meters, and fire hydrants. Website.
After the storm: help for displaced residents¶
If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.
Where to start¶
- 2-1-1 Northwest Florida: The 211 helpline and resource directory for the western Panhandle, linked from United Way of West Florida. 24 hours a day. Phone: 855-420-8689. Website.
Housing and shelter¶
- FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
Food¶
- Second Harvest of the Big Bend: Regional food bank for the Big Bend; its site has a Find Food page. Phone: 850-562-3033. Website.
- Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP): State food benefits after a declared disaster. Dates and locations are posted when it opens. Website.
Money, work and insurance¶
- DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
- Florida Insurance Consumer Helpline: Free help with insurance claims and disputes. Phone: 1-877-693-5236. Website.
- SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance: For people who lose work because of a declared disaster. Website.
Legal help¶
- Legal Services of North Florida (Quincy office): Free civil legal help for low-income residents; apply online or call the office for your county. Phone: 850-875-9881. Website.
- Florida Disaster Relief Hotline: Free legal help for disaster survivors, switched on after a storm. Phone: 1-866-550-2929. Website.
Emotional support¶
- NWF Health Network (Northwest Florida Health Network): State-contracted managing entity that funds and coordinates public mental health and substance use care in its region; it does not treat people directly. Website.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.
Relief organizations¶
- American Red Cross Capital Area Chapter (North and Central Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Office hours Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 850-878-6080. Website.
Scams, contractors and price gouging¶
- Price gouging hotline (Florida Attorney General): Report price gouging during a declared state of emergency. Phone: 1-866-966-7226. Website.
- Contractor license check (DBPR): Check any contractor's license before you pay for repairs. Phone: 850-487-1395. Website.
Cities and towns¶
Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.
Related guides¶
- Should I evacuate?
- What to expect at a hurricane shelter
- Hurricane supply list
- After a hurricane: the first 24 hours
- Insurance claims and disaster aid
Sources¶
Checked on September 30, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.
- https://www.calhouncountyfl.gov/emergency-management/
- https://www.calhouncountyfl.gov/community/
- https://www.calhounsheriff.com/contact-us/
- https://www.fl511.com/
- https://www.calhouncountyfl.gov/uploads/2026/06/calhoun_county_2026_hurricane_guide.pdf
- https://www.calhouncountyfl.gov/uploads/2025/10/special-needs-shelter-info.pdf
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/FLC013
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFSY
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WPAP
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFLF
- https://www.wkgc.org/
- https://news.wfsu.org/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WJHG-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WMBB
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WPGX
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFSG
- https://www.westflorida.coop/outage-center
- https://www.gcec.com/outages-safety/outage-center/report-an-outage/
- https://blountstownfl.govoffice3.com/
- https://fpuc.com/customer-care/report-an-electric-outage/
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://fightinghunger.org/
- https://www.myflfamilies.com/dsnap
- https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- https://myfloridacfo.com/division/ica/contactus
- https://www.sba.gov/disaster/
- https://floridajobs.org/workforce-resources/reemployment-assistance/general-information/special-programs
- https://www.lsnf.org/contact/
- https://www.floridabar.org/public/consumer/hurricaneinfo/
- https://nwfhealth.org/
- https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection/price-gouging
- https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp
- https://211nwfl.communityos.org/cms/
- https://www.redcross.org/local/florida/north-central-florida/about-us/locations/capital-area.html