Sumter County hurricane guide¶

Sumter County Emergency Management runs hurricane planning, shelters, and emergency information for the county. Sumter is an interior county with no evacuation zones, but hurricanes bring high winds, tornadoes, and flooding. The county says people in mobile, manufactured, and modular homes, RV parks, and low-lying or flood-prone areas should find safer shelter, and manufactured home residents must evacuate. Finish getting ready or leave before winds reach 39 mph.

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

What to know in Sumter County¶

The Florida Turnpike and I-75 merge in Wildwood, and people from counties to the south will use the same roads. If you plan to leave, leave early.
Sumter County does not pick up trash or storm debris. Your city or The Villages community development district handles pickup where it is offered.

Emergency and information numbers¶

Service	Number	Notes
Emergency	911	Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Citizen information center (during emergencies)	352-689-4400	Sumter County Citizens' Information Center. During major emergencies, a call taker can tell you which shelters are open near you. This is also the emergency management office number.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency	352-569-1600	For police matters that are not emergencies.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511)	511	Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information¶

Alert Sumter: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
Sumter 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.

Hurricane shelters are for people who have no other place to go. The best choice is a relative's or friend's site-built home. Not all shelters open for every storm, so do not leave home until officials announce that a shelter is open, and call the Citizens' Information Center at 352-689-4400 to confirm it is taking evacuees. The sites below are designated shelters for planning only. All Sumter County shelters are pet friendly. Shelters do not have cots or blankets, so bring bedding, food, water, prescriptions, and supplies for your pets.

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
Sumter County Joint Training Center/Shelter	Gloria Rowe Hayward Way, Sumterville, FL 33585	General, Medical needs, Pets allowed
Sumter Fairgrounds	7620 SR 471, Webster, FL 33597	General, Pets allowed
South Sumter High School	706 N. Main St (SR 475), Bushnell, FL 33513	General, Pets allowed
Webster Elementary School	349 S Market Blvd (SR 471), Webster, FL 33597	General, Pets allowed
Center Hill Recreation Center	74 S. Virginia Avenue, Center Hill, FL 33514	General, Pets allowed

Help to evacuate¶

Special Needs Registry: For people who will need extra help during a disaster. Register online or mail the paper form, and do it early, because the county may stop processing applications during an emergency. The Florida Department of Health in Sumter County reviews each application. When an evacuation is needed, the health department will call you, and a driver will pick you up and take you to a shelter. Website.
Sumter County Animal Services: 819 CR 529, Lake Panasoffkee. For animal control, press option 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., or option 9 after hours and on holidays. Phone: 352-689-4400. 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
WWF38	162.400 MHz	Inverness
KPS505	162.500 MHz	Sumterville

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 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¶

SECO Energy (Sumter Electric Cooperative): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 352-793-3801. Website.
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.
City of Bushnell Electric Division: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 352-793-2591. Website.
Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 352-567-5133. Website.
Sumter County Citizen's Drop-Off Area: 819 CR 529, Lake Panasoffkee. Residents can drop off brush and construction debris for a fee. After a storm, check the county website or call the Citizens' Information Center for debris instructions. 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¶

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¶

Lutheran Services Florida Health Systems (LSF Health Systems): State-contracted managing entity that funds and coordinates public mental health and substance use care in its region; it does not treat people directly. 24 hours a day. Phone: 877-229-9098. 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.