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Manatee County hurricane guide

The Manatee County Emergency Management Division, part of the Public Safety Department, runs hurricane planning, evacuation orders, and shelters for the county. Storm surge is the biggest danger along the coast, including Anna Maria Island. If you live in a mobile home, boat, RV, or manufactured home, you must evacuate for any hurricane evacuation order, wherever you are 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 Manatee County Emergency Management Division. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Manatee County

  • After a storm, you cannot go back until search and rescue is finished and hazards like downed power lines are cleared. Residents need a valid ID with their current address. Businesses need photo ID, proof of ownership or rental, a county business tax license, and a letter on business letterhead naming who may enter.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Manatee 311 311 County information and shelter status. Staffed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Manatee 311 from outside the county 941-748-4501 Use this number if your phone cannot reach 311.
Emergency management office 941-749-3500 Also the county's Citizens Information Center during emergencies.
Sheriff's Office main line 941-747-3011 Not for emergencies.
Special needs registration 941-749-3500 Extension 1667. Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter.
Animal services 941-742-5933 Manatee County Animal Welfare Division.
Water and sewer emergencies 941-792-8811 Manatee County Utilities. After hours, choose option 8. Water line breaks: extension 5216. Sewer issues: extension 5411.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511) 511 Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information

  • Alert Manatee: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. You can also text ManateeReady to 888-777 for general emergency alerts only. Website.
  • Manatee County Emergency Management Division: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
  • 2026 Manatee County Disaster Planning Guide: The county's printable guide. A Spanish version is on the county's disaster planning page. Website.

Evacuation zones

Manatee County has five evacuation levels, A through E, based on storm surge risk. Level A is the most at risk. These levels are not the same as FEMA flood zones. If your level is ordered to evacuate, leave right away. Everyone in a mobile home, boat, RV, or manufactured home must leave for any hurricane evacuation order.

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.

Shelters open only when the county announces them, and which ones open changes with each storm. The list below is for planning only. Do not go to a shelter until officials announce through the media that it is open, and call 311 for shelters that are open. Shelters are a last option, so stay with family or friends outside the evacuation area if you can. Not all shelters take pets. On the county's shelter list, Mills, Miller, and Freedom elementary schools are marked as pet friendly.

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
Mills Elementary School 7200 69th Street East, Palmetto, FL General
Myakka City Elementary School 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City, FL General
Miller Elementary School 601 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL General
Freedom Elementary School 9515 State Road 64 East, Bradenton, FL General
Gullet Elementary School 12125 44th Ave. East, Bradenton, FL General
McNeal Elementary School 6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton, FL General
Mona Jain Middle School 12205 44th Ave. East, Bradenton, FL General
Haile Middle School 9501 State Road 64 East, Bradenton, FL General
Harvey Elementary School 8610 115th Ave. East, Parrish, FL General
Sugg Middle School 3801 59th St West, Bradenton, FL General
Prine Elementary School 3801 Southern Parkway, Bradenton, FL General
Willis Elementary School 14705 The Masters Avenue, Bradenton, FL General
Braden River High School 6545 State Road 70 East, Bradenton, FL General
Buffalo Creek Middle School 7320 69th Street East, Palmetto, FL General
Oneco Elementary School 5214 22nd Street Court East, Bradenton, FL General
Rogers Garden Elementary School 515 13th Ave West, Bradenton, FL General
Williams Elementary School 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish, FL General
Witt Elementary School 200 Rye Road, Bradenton, FL General
Lee Middle School 4000 53rd Avenue West, Bradenton, FL General
Braden River Middle School 6215 River Club Blvd., Bradenton, FL General
Daughtrey Elementary School 515 63rd Ave. East, Bradenton, FL General
Johnson K-8 2121 26th Ave East, Bradenton, FL General
Kinnan Elementary School 3415 Tallevast Road, Sarasota, FL General
Seabreeze Elementary School 3601 71st Street West, Bradenton, FL General
Tillman Elementary School 1415 29th Street East, Palmetto, FL General
Manatee High School 902 33rd Street Court West, Bradenton, FL General

Help to evacuate

  • Manatee County Special Needs Registry: For residents who will need help with sheltering or transportation when told to evacuate. Conditions that may qualify include needing oxygen or electricity to survive, or a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The Department of Health reviews every application. Apply online or by mail, and register again every year. Call extension 1667 with questions. Phone: 941-749-3500. Website.
  • Severe weather transportation (MCAT): Manatee County Area Transit takes people on the Special Needs Registry to public evacuation shelters. If you only need a ride to a general shelter, use the transportation application on the Special Needs Registry page. 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
KEC38 162.450 MHz Largo
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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Manatee County Utilities: Water, sewer, and solid waste. After hours, report emergencies by choosing option 8. Phone: 941-792-8811. 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.
  • Bay Area Legal Services: Free civil legal help for eligible residents of Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Toll free: 800-625-2257. Phone: 813-232-1343. 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 Tampa Bay Chapter (North and Central Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Hillsborough County office. Pasco County office: 727-848-8354. Pinellas County office: 727-898-3111. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 813-348-4820. 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.