Hardee County hurricane guide¶
Hardee County Emergency Management runs the county's Emergency Operations Center, shelters, and AlertHardee notifications. The county is inland, and the Peace River runs through it: the county's emergency page tracks the river at US 17 in Zolfo Springs. Evacuation orders and shelter openings are announced through AlertHardee, the county website, social media, and local news.
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 Hardee County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.
What to know in Hardee County¶
- After a storm, report damage to your home or ask for help with the county's online damage reporting and assistance form. It helps the county decide where to send help first.
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 | 863-773-6373 | Also the Emergency Operations Center non-emergency line. Not for emergencies. |
| Special needs registration | 863-773-6373 | Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 863-773-4144 | For police matters that are not emergencies. |
| County information line | 863-773-9430 | Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Animal services | 863-773-4144 | Hardee County Animal Services, run by the Sheriff's Office. Bowling Green and Wauchula have their own animal control. |
| Road and traffic conditions (FL511) | 511 | Evacuation routes and road closures. |
Official alerts and information¶
- AlertHardee: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
- Hardee County Emergency Management: The county's official hurricane information page. 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.
Hardee County may open shelters when a storm threatens, and it announces locations as needed through AlertHardee, the county website, social media, and local news. Do not go to a shelter until it has been announced as open. If you live in a mobile or manufactured home and do not need medical care, you can go to a general population shelter. Bring medicines, important papers, food, water, clothing, and supplies for children and pets.
Help to evacuate¶
- Special Needs Shelter registration: For people who need limited medical help, oxygen, or electricity for medical equipment, but not a hospital. Register online through the Florida Special Needs Registry at snr.flhealthresponse.com, by phone, or by mail to 404 W Orange St, Wauchula. Registration stops 3 days before a storm makes landfall. If you have no way to get there, the county can arrange a ride, and registered clients get a call when the shelter opens. Phone: 863-773-6373. Website.
- Pet-friendly shelter registration: Hardee County Animal Services at 685 Airport Road, Wauchula, has asked pet owners to preregister for the pet-friendly shelter. Forms in English and Spanish are on the county's Emergency Management page. Bring proof of vaccination, food, and bedding. Phone: 863-773-4144. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WMTX | 100.7 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
| WWRM | 94.9 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
| WHPT | 102.5 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
| WUSF | 89.7 FM | English | NPR station for the Tampa Bay area. |
| WFLA | 970 AM | English | News talk station in Tampa that runs Operation Storm Watch coverage. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| WXK83A | 162.500 MHz | Sebring |
| KHB32 | 162.550 MHz | Tampa Bay |
| WWG59 | 162.400 MHz | Venice |
TV stations¶
| Station | Channel | Network | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| WFLA-TV (WFLA News Channel 8) | 8 | NBC | English |
| WTSP (10 Tampa Bay) | 10 | CBS | English |
| WTVT (FOX 13 Tampa Bay) | 13 | Fox | English |
| WFTS-TV (Tampa Bay 28) | 28 | ABC | English |
| WWSB (ABC7 WWSB) | 40 | ABC | English |
| WEDU (WEDU PBS) | 3 | PBS | English |
| WVEA-TV (N+ Univision Tampa Bay) | 50 | Univision | Spanish |
| WRMD-CD (Telemundo 49 Tampa) | 49 | Telemundo | Spanish |
Official forecasts¶
- National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 813-645-2323. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- Peace River Electric Cooperative (PRECO): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-282-3824. Website.
- City of Wauchula Electrical Division: City utility office. The city does not publish a separate outage line. Phone: 863-773-3535. Website.
- Hardee County Utilities: County water and wastewater service. Report sewage backups here. Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone: 863-773-3465. Website.
- Storm debris: Sort debris into piles, such as vegetation and construction materials, and place it at the curb without blocking the road. Follow the pickup guidance the county issues after the storm. 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¶
- Feeding Tampa Bay: Regional food bank for the Tampa Bay area and nearby counties. Phone: 813-254-1190. 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 Mid-Florida Chapter (South 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: 863-294-5941. 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.hardeecountyfl.gov/departments-services/public-safety/emergency-management/recovery/
- https://www.hardeecountyfl.gov/departments-services/public-safety/emergency-management/
- https://www.hardeecountyfl.gov/departments-services/public-safety/emergency-management/preparedness/emergency-preparedness-for-persons-with-disabilities/
- https://www.hardeeso.com/contact_us.php
- https://www.hardeeso.com/services/animal_services.php
- https://www.fl511.com/
- https://www.hardeecountyfl.gov/departments-services/public-safety/emergency-management/faqs/
- https://www.hardeecountyfl.gov/departments-services/public-works/utilities/
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/FLC049
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WMTX
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WWRM
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WHPT
- https://www.wusf.org/
- https://wflanews.iheart.com/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFLA-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTSP
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTVT
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFTS-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WWSB
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WEDU
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WVEA-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WRMD-CD
- https://www.preco.coop/outages-safety/outage-center/
- https://www.cityofwauchula.gov/336/Electrical-Division
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://ftb.org/contact-us
- 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.211.org/api/program/results?location=Orange%20County%2C%20FL
- https://www.redcross.org/local/florida/south-florida/about-us/locations/mid-florida.html