Orange County hurricane guide¶

Orange County's Office of Emergency Management leads hurricane planning, shelters, and emergency alerts for the county. Orange County is inland and has no storm surge evacuation zones, but hurricanes still bring high winds, tornadoes, and flooding here. Mobile homes are at high risk in strong winds: in past storms, such as Hurricane Irma in 2017, the county ordered everyone in mobile homes to evacuate, so plan now where you would go.

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 Orange County Office of Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Orange County¶

If your power is out, your neighborhood sewer pump station may be out too. Cut back on water use, including showers, to help prevent sewer backups into streets and homes.
After a storm, keep tree debris and construction debris in separate piles. Mixed piles are not picked up.

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	407-836-3111	Orange County 311. Dial 311 inside the county for flooding that is not an emergency, debris, downed trees, and road conditions. Spanish operators are available.
Emergency management office	407-836-9140	Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	407-836-4357	For police matters that are not emergencies. Also written 407-836-HELP.
Special needs registration	407-836-3111	Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter.
Water and sewer emergencies	407-836-2777	Orange County Utilities customers. Answered 24 hours.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511)	511	Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information¶

OCAlert: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
OCFL Alert app: Free county app for iPhone and Android. It shows open shelters, water and ice distribution sites, and evacuation routes during an emergency. Website.
Orange County Emergency Information: 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.

During an emergency, Orange County opens shelters, including special needs and pet-friendly shelters, and county officials decide which sites open. Find open shelters in the OCFL Alert app or by calling 311. Pets are welcome at pet-friendly shelters if you bring shot records, food, and a crate. General shelters allow only service animals. If you live in a mobile home or an area that floods, plan to stay with friends or family outside the danger area, or go to a shelter once one is announced.

Help to evacuate¶

Persons with Special Needs (PSN) Program: For people with medical conditions who need a special needs shelter during a storm. Register online, by calling 311, or through your home health, hospice, or medical equipment provider. A caregiver is encouraged to come along, and household pets are welcome at special needs shelters, but not reptiles. Phone: 407-836-3111. Website.
Orange County Animal Services: County animal services at 2769 Conroy Road, Orlando. Phone: 407-836-3111. 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
WMGF	107.7 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WWKA	92.3 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WMFE-FM	90.7 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WFLF	540 AM	English	News talk station licensed to Pine Hills and one of Florida's three Primary Entry Point stations for national alerts.
WMFV	89.5 FM	English	Simulcasts WMFE news for Lake, Sumter and Marion counties, licensed to Cedar Creek.
WDBO	580 AM; 107.3 FM	English	News talk station in Orlando, also heard on translator W297BB at 107.3 FM.

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
KIH26	162.400 MHz	Daytona Beach
WXJ70	162.550 MHz	Melbourne
KIH63	162.475 MHz	Orlando

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
WESH (WESH 2)	2	NBC	English
WKMG-TV (News 6)	6	CBS	English
WFTV (WFTV Channel 9)	9	ABC	English
WOFL (FOX 35 Orlando)	35	Fox	English
WUCF-TV (WUCF PBS)	24	PBS	English
WVEN-TV (N+ Univision Orlando)	43	Univision	Spanish
WTMO-CD (Telemundo 31 Orlando)	31	Telemundo	Spanish

Official forecasts¶

National Weather Service Melbourne: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 321-255-0212. 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.
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), also serves St. Cloud: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 407-423-9018. Website.
City of Winter Park Electric Utility: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-877-811-8700. Website.
Orange County Utilities Emergency Dispatch: Water and sewer emergencies for Orange County Utilities customers, 24 hours. Phone: 407-836-2777. Website.
Orange County Utilities Boil Water Hotline: Recorded boil water notices. Phone: 407-254-9670. Website.
Orange County Solid Waste Hotline: Garbage and storm debris pickup questions, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on business days. Phone: 407-836-6601. Website.
Storm debris collection: County debris removal, including help for private and gated communities. Call 311 for help. Phone: 407-836-3111. 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¶

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida: Regional food bank that supplies partner pantries across Central Florida. Phone: 407-295-1066. 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¶

Community Legal Services: Free civil legal aid for low-income residents of Central Florida. Phone: 800-405-1417. 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 Cares Health System: 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 Central Florida Coast Chapter (North and Central Florida Region): Local Red Cross chapter that runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Orange County office. Brevard County office: 321-890-1002. Volusia County office: 386-682-3113. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 407-894-4141. 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.