Dixie County hurricane guide¶

Dixie County Emergency Management, a division of Dixie County Fire Rescue, runs hurricane planning, evacuation orders, and shelters for the county. The coast along the Gulf is low, and storm surge is the greatest danger: in 2024 Hurricane Helene pushed surge more than 15 feet above ground at Horseshoe Beach. County officials say mobile homes can withstand only minimal hurricane winds, so plan to evacuate if you live in one.

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 Dixie County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Dixie County¶

The National Weather Service estimates that storm surge from Hurricane Helene in 2024 reached more than 15 feet above ground at Horseshoe Beach and destroyed 70 percent of the community. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for coastal residents, substandard homes, and mobile homes.
Law enforcement and other emergency workers will not respond to calls once winds exceed 45 mph. Leave before the storm arrives if you are told to evacuate.

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	352-498-1240	Dixie County Fire Rescue and Emergency Management. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	352-498-1220	Main office line, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, call 352-498-1231 and press 0.
Animal services	352-498-1231	Dixie County Sheriff's Office Animal Control Unit.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511)	511	Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information¶

Alert Dixie: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
Dixie County Emergency Management: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.

Evacuation zones¶

Dixie County has five evacuation zones, A through E, covering the whole coast and much of the county inland from it, not only the waterfront. Zone A is usually the most vulnerable and the first to be told to leave. In past storms the county has also ordered people in mobile homes and substandard homes to evacuate, wherever they live. See the state's printable Dixie County zone map, and follow the orders the county announces through Alert Dixie.

Look up your evacuation zone

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.

Public shelters are set up in buildings of the Dixie County School Board and open based on need, not all at once. The county does not publish a fixed list in advance: Emergency Management announces which shelters are open, and when, through the news media and the county website. Shelters open with only the food and water on hand, so bring your own food, water, medicine, and bedding for at least 72 hours. Special needs shelters are only for people on the special needs registry.

Help to evacuate¶

Special Needs Registry: Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. People who arrive at a special needs shelter without registering may be sent to a general shelter. Website.
Dixie County Sheriff's Office Animal Control: County animal control and animal shelter, run by the Sheriff's Office. Phone: 352-498-1231. 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
WRUF-FM	103.7 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WRUF	850 AM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WOGK	93.7 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WUFT-FM	89.1 FM	English	NPR news and talk station of the University of Florida in Gainesville.
WJUF	90.1 FM	English	Carries WUFT news for Citrus and Levy counties, licensed to Inverness.
WSKY-FM	97.3 FM	English	News talk station licensed to Micanopy, serving Gainesville and Ocala.

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
WXJ60	162.475 MHz	Gainesville
KWN38	162.550 MHz	Morriston
WWF88	162.425 MHz	Salem

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
WCJB-TV (TV20)	20	ABC	English
WOGX (FOX 51 Gainesville)	51	Fox	English
WUFT	5	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¶

Central Florida Electric Cooperative (CFEC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-227-1302. Website.
Duke Energy Florida: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-228-8485. Website.
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-999-2285. Website.
Suwannee Water and Sewer District: County water and sewer district for the community of Suwannee. Office line. Phone: 352-542-7570. 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¶

Heart of Florida United Way 2-1-1: Heart of Florida United Way answers 211 for the Orlando area and for many other Florida counties. 24 hours a day. Phone: 407-839-4357. 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¶

Three Rivers Legal Services: Free civil legal aid for low-income residents of 17 North and North Central Florida counties. Toll free intake line, during business hours. Phone: 866-256-8091. Website.
Florida Disaster Relief Hotline: Free legal help for disaster survivors, switched on after a storm. Phone: 1-866-550-2929. Website.

Emotional support¶

Lutheran Services Florida Health Systems (LSF Health Systems): State-contracted managing entity that funds and coordinates public mental health and substance use care in its region; it does not treat people directly. 24 hours a day. Phone: 877-229-9098. Website.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations¶

American Red Cross North Central Florida Chapter (North and Central Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 352-376-4669. 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.

Sources¶

Checked on September 30, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.