Glades County hurricane guide¶
Glades County Emergency Management runs the county's Emergency Operations Center, shelters, and emergency alerts. Lake Okeechobee, ringed by the Herbert Hoover Dike, forms the county's eastern edge, and the county's evacuation levels cover areas that storm surge could flood. People in mobile homes, RVs, boats, and manufactured homes must leave for every evacuation order, wherever they live in 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 Glades 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 | 863-946-6020 | Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Special needs registration | 863-946-6021 | Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 863-946-1600 | For police matters that are not emergencies. |
| County information line | 863-946-6000 | Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Animal services | 863-946-0771 | Glades County Animal Control, Monday to Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Road and traffic conditions (FL511) | 511 | Evacuation routes and road closures. |
Official alerts and information¶
- AlertGlades: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
- Glades County Emergency Management: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
- Glades County Disaster Planning Guide: The county's printable guide with the evacuation level map and shelter map (2022 edition). Website.
Evacuation zones¶
Glades County uses color coded evacuation levels, A through E, for areas that storm surge could flood. Level A is the red area at greatest risk, and each later level adds more areas. Everyone in a mobile home, RV, boat, or manufactured home must evacuate for every evacuation order, no matter where they are in the county, because of tornadoes and high winds.
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.
Glades County has identified the shelters below, but they may or may not open for a given storm. Never go to a shelter until Emergency Management announces it is open, through AlertGlades and the county website. Shelters are a last resort: they have no generators, cots, or bedding, so bring your own supplies. Two shelters accept animals, and pets need current vaccination records.
Official list of open evacuation centers
These are locations the county has used or designated as evacuation centers. They are listed for planning only.
| Name | Address | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Buckhead Ridge VFW | 29012 E SR 78, Buckhead Ridge, FL | General |
| Maple Grove Baptist Church | 12777 E SR 78 NE, Lakeport, FL | General |
| Moore Haven High School Gym | 700 Terrier Pride Drive SW, Moore Haven, FL | General, Pets allowed |
| Muse Community Center | 3897 Loblolly Bay Rd, Muse, FL | General |
| Ortona Community Center | 2086 Ortona Locks Rd, Ortona, FL | General |
| West Glades Elementary School, Building 500 | 2586 CR 731, Muse, FL | General, Pets allowed |
| West Glades Elementary School, Building 300 (special needs) | 2586 CR 731, Muse, FL | Medical needs |
Help to evacuate¶
- Glades County Special Needs registration: For people whose medical needs cannot be met in a general shelter. Download the application in English or Spanish and return it to Glades County Emergency Management, 1097 Health Park Drive, Moore Haven, or register online through the state Special Needs Registry at snr.flhealthresponse.com. Submit a new form every year. Bring your own food and water for up to 72 hours. Phone: 863-946-6021. Website.
- Glades County Animal Control: Stray, injured, or aggressive animals. Monday to Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: 863-946-0771. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WGCU-FM | 90.1 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
| WMKO | 91.7 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
| WIKX | 92.9 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
| WAVV | 101.1 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| WXM58 | 162.400 MHz | Belle Glade |
| WXK83 | 162.475 MHz | Fort Myers |
| WWG92 | 162.525 MHz | Naples |
TV stations¶
| Station | Channel | Network | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| WINK-TV (WINK News) | 11 | CBS | English |
| WBBH-TV (Gulf Coast NBC) | 20 | NBC | English |
| WZVN-TV (Gulf Coast ABC) | 26 | ABC | English |
| WFTX-TV (Fox Florida) | 36 | Fox | English |
| WGCU (WGCU PBS) | 30 | PBS | English |
Official forecasts¶
- National Weather Service Miami: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 305-229-4522. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- Florida Power & Light (FPL): Also written 1-800-4-OUTAGE. Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-468-8243. Website.
- Glades Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 855-940-3810. Website.
- City of Moore Haven Electric: City utility office. The city does not publish a separate outage line. Phone: 863-946-0711. 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 Lee, Hendry and Glades: United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades runs this free 24-hour helpline for social services. 24 hours a day. Phone: 239-433-3900. 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¶
- Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida: Regional food bank for Southwest Florida. Phone: 239-334-7007. 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¶
- Florida Rural Legal Services: Free civil legal help for low-income people in 13 South and Central Florida counties. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: 888-582-3410. Website.
- Florida Disaster Relief Hotline: Free legal help for disaster survivors, switched on after a storm. Phone: 1-866-550-2929. Website.
Emotional support¶
- Central Florida Behavioral 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 Southwest Florida Chapter (South Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Fort Myers office. Sarasota office: 941-379-9300. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 239-278-3401. 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.myglades.com/departments/public_safety/emergency_management/index.php
- https://cms2.revize.com/revize/gladescounty/Glades%20County%20Disaster%20Planning%20Guide%202022.pdf
- https://www.gladessheriff.org/
- https://www.myglades.com/contact_us/index.php
- https://www.myglades.com/departments/road_department/animal_control.php
- https://www.fl511.com/
- https://www.myglades.com/alert_glades/index.php
- https://www.myglades.com/departments/public_safety/emergency_management/preparedness/index.php
- https://www.myglades.com/departments/public_safety/emergency_management/preparedness/shelter_information.php
- https://www.myglades.com/departments/public_safety/emergency_management/special_needs.php
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/FLC043
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WGCU
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WMKO
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WIKX
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WAVV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WINK-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WBBH-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WZVN-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFTX-TV
- https://www.fpl.com/support/report-concerns.html
- https://www.gladeselectric.com/member-services/outages/
- https://moorehaven.org/city-hall/
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://harrychapinfoodbank.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.frls.org/
- https://www.floridabar.org/public/consumer/hurricaneinfo/
- https://www.cfbhn.org/
- https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection/price-gouging
- https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp
- https://www.unitedwaylee.org/need-help/
- https://www.redcross.org/local/florida/south-florida/about-us/locations/southwest-gulf-coast-to-glades.html