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Duval County hurricane guide

The City of Jacksonville and Duval County have one consolidated government, so emergency management for the whole county is run by the City of Jacksonville's Emergency Preparedness Division, part of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue. Storm surge and flooding are most likely near the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the St. Johns River. Manufactured and mobile homes are in the first group to evacuate, along with Zone A.

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 City of Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Duval County

  • The St. Johns River flows north to the ocean. As a storm approaches, water backs up the river, and with high tides and rain this can cause widespread flooding far from the beach.
  • Residents of the Beaches evacuate west on J. Turner Butler Boulevard, Beach Boulevard, or Atlantic Boulevard, then through downtown to Interstate 10 West.
  • Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin kept their own city governments when Jacksonville and Duval County consolidated in 1968.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
County information line 904-630-2489 City of Jacksonville customer service (MyJax). Also written 904-630-CITY.
Emergency management office 904-255-3110 City of Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency 904-630-0500 Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. For police matters that are not emergencies.
Special needs registration 904-255-3172 Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511) 511 Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information

  • AlertJax: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
  • JaxReady: The county's official hurricane information page, with evacuation orders, open shelters, and the Emergency Operations Center status. Website.
  • JaxReady app: The city's app for iPhone and Android. It finds your evacuation zone by location and links to special needs registration. Website.
  • City of Jacksonville Preparedness and Response Guide: The city's printable 2026 to 2027 guide. Website.

Evacuation zones

Duval County has evacuation zones A through F, based on storm surge, rain flooding, and how cut off an area could become. Zone A is the most vulnerable and leaves first, along with manufactured and mobile homes, and zones B through E are added as a storm's effects grow. Zone F covers areas likely to flood from rain or other hazards, and even outside a zone you may need to leave if you live in a low or flood prone area. Your evacuation zone is not the same as your flood zone.

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.

The city decides which shelters open for each storm and announces them on JaxReady, in the JaxReady app, and through the media and social media. Shelter locations change from year to year, so do not go to one until it has been announced. The American Red Cross runs the general shelters, Animal Care and Protective Services supports the pet friendly shelters, and the Health Department runs the special medical needs shelters, which require registration in advance. No smoking, weapons, or alcohol are allowed in any shelter.

Official list of open evacuation centers

Help to evacuate

  • Special Medical Needs Registry: For people who depend on electricity or oxygen, or who have physical, medical, cognitive, or sensory disabilities and need basic medical help. Register online, by form, or by phone, and register again every year. During an evacuation, the Health Department calls to confirm your plans and arrange a ride if you need one. A caregiver or family member must come with you. Phone: 904-255-3172. Website.
  • JTA free evacuation rides: When an evacuation is ordered, JTA gives free rides to open public shelters until the announced cutoff. Take any bus marked Evacuation Shuttle, or go to Fletcher High School, Mayport Middle School, Baldwin Middle-High School, or Jacksonville Beach Elementary. Phone: 904-630-3100. Website.
  • Pet friendly shelters: Locations are announced for each storm. Dogs, cats, small rodents, birds, and rabbits are accepted, but no reptiles. Bring proof of vaccination and registration and a crate, and plan to care for your pet, which may be housed in a separate room from you. Only service animals may ride public transportation, so plan how to get your pet there. Phone: 904-630-2489. Website.
  • Animal Care and Protective Services: City animal services. Also written 904-630-CITY. Call to learn about evacuation sites for large animals. Phone: 904-630-2489. 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
WJCT-FM 89.9 FM English NPR station for Jacksonville and the First Coast.
WOKV-FM 104.5 FM English News talk station for Jacksonville; the FCC shows it licensed and operating at reduced power since August 2026.
WOKV 690 AM English One of Florida's three Primary Entry Point stations for national alerts; Wikipedia says it now airs sports.

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
KHB39 162.550 MHz Jacksonville

TV stations

Station Channel Network Language
WJXT (News4JAX) 4 Independent English
WTLV (First Coast News) 12 NBC English
WJXX (First Coast News) 25 ABC English
WJAX-TV (Action News Jax, CBS47) 47 CBS English
WFOX-TV (Action News Jax, FOX30) 30 Fox English
WJCT (Jax PBS) 7 PBS English

Official forecasts

  • National Weather Service Jacksonville: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 904-741-4370. Website.
  • National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris

  • JEA: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 904-665-6000. Website.
  • Beaches Energy Services (Jacksonville Beach): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 904-247-6171. 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

  • United Way 211 of Northeast Florida: United Way of Northeast Florida runs this 24/7 211 line for Northeast Florida, St. Johns County and the Suwannee Valley. 24 hours a day. Phone: 904-632-0600. 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

  • Feeding Northeast Florida: Regional food bank for Northeast and North Central Florida. Phone: 904-513-1333. 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.
  • 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 Northeast Florida Chapter (North and Central Florida Region headquarters): 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: 904-358-8091. 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.