Franklin County hurricane guide¶

Franklin County Emergency Management plans for hurricanes, issues evacuation information, and sends Alert Franklin messages for the whole county, including Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and St. George Island. The entire county is in a storm surge zone, so storm surge is the biggest danger and there are no hurricane shelters in the county. During a mandatory evacuation, every resident should plan to leave for a safer place outside the county.

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

What to know in Franklin County¶

The bridges close when winds reach a sustained 45 mph, often with little or no warning. If you are on St. George Island or another island, leave early. Alert Franklin sends bridge closure updates.
The county has given out sandbags for flood events, limited to 10 per household. Check Alert Franklin or the Emergency Management website for sandbag sites during a storm.
After a storm, place debris at the curb in separate piles: household trash, vegetative debris, construction debris, appliances, electronics, and household hazardous waste. Do not bag debris or put it in containers.

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	850-653-8977	Also the county's emergency hotline when the Emergency Operations Center is activated. Not for life threatening emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	850-670-8500	For police matters that are not emergencies.
County information line	850-653-8861	Franklin County Courthouse. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Special needs registration	850-653-8977	Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter.
Animal services	850-670-4733	Franklin County Animal Control, Eastpoint.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511)	511	Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information¶

Alert Franklin: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. After you create an account, check your subscriptions to choose which alerts you get. Website.
Franklin County Emergency Management: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
Disaster Survival Guide 2026: The county's printable guide. Website.

Evacuation zones¶

Franklin County has three evacuation zones, A, B, and C, and the whole county is in a storm surge zone. Officials can order specific areas or the whole county to leave. During a mandatory order, storm surge could be deadly, and all residents should plan to evacuate. If you live in a mobile or manufactured home, plan to go whenever an evacuation order is issued. The county map shows zones and evacuation routes.

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.

Franklin County has no hurricane shelters, because the entire county is in a storm surge zone. If you need a shelter, you will have to go to another county, so plan now to stay with friends, family, or a hotel outside the surge zone. Shelters in other counties open for each storm, and the state lists open shelters. Not all shelters accept pets, so bring a crate and supplies if you plan to shelter with a pet.

Official list of open evacuation centers

Help to evacuate¶

Special Needs Registry: For people who are medically stable but need help with basic tasks or use electric medical equipment and have no other way to evacuate. Register online or at the Emergency Management office before a storm. Phone: 850-653-8977. Website.
Evacuation Transportation: If you live in Franklin County and have no way to travel, apply now. During a mandatory evacuation, Emergency Management will take you to a designated shelter. Phone: 850-653-8977. Website.
Franklin County Animal Control: 210 Highway 65, Eastpoint. Phone: 850-670-4733. 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
WTNT-FM	94.9 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WFSU-FM	88.9 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WFLA-FM	100.7 FM	English	Talk station for Tallahassee, licensed to Midway.

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
WWF86	162.500 MHz	East Point
KIH24	162.400 MHz	Tallahassee

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¶

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.

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¶

211 Big Bend (now Lifeline Connection): The 211 helpline for the Big Bend counties around Tallahassee; it connects callers to local help and crisis support. 24 hours a day. Phone: 850-617-6333. 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 (Tallahassee office): Free civil legal help for low-income residents; apply online or call the office for your county. Phone: 850-385-9007. 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.

Sources¶

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