Suwannee County hurricane guide¶

Suwannee County Emergency Management, a department of the Board of County Commissioners in Live Oak, runs hurricane planning, shelters, and emergency alerts for the county. The county is inland with no storm surge evacuation zones, but county officials warn that hurricanes can still bring damaging winds, tornadoes, flooding from heavy rain, long power outages, and road closures. The Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers run along the county's edges, so never drive through flooded roads.

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 Suwannee 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	386-364-3405	Office line. Not for emergencies.
Emergency management call center	386-330-3512	Listed by the county as its Emergency Management call center. Not for emergencies.
County information line	386-364-3400	Board of County Commissioners office in Live Oak. Not for emergencies.
Special needs registration	386-364-3405	Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter.
Animal services	386-208-0072	Suwannee County Animal Services, run by the Sheriff's Office. Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Road and traffic conditions (FL511)	511	Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information¶

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

Suwannee County does not publish a shelter list in advance. Watch Alert Suwannee and the county's Emergency Management pages for shelters that open during a storm. County officials say a shelter is a last resort and you will likely be more comfortable with family or friends. If you do go, bring pillows, blankets, snacks, medicine, and hygiene items.

Help to evacuate¶

Special Needs Sheltering: For people who rely on oxygen, electric medical equipment, or help from medical staff. Register online through the Florida Special Needs Registry, or call Emergency Management for a paper form. Registering does not guarantee a place: Department of Health staff review each person. Bring a caregiver and all your own medicine, supplies, equipment, clothes, and bedding. Phone: 386-364-3405. Website.
Suwannee County Animal Services: County animal services, a division of the Sheriff's Office. Phone: 386-208-0072. 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
WQHL-FM	98.1 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WQHL	1250 AM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WNFB	94.3 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
WXJ60	162.475 MHz	Gainesville
KEB97	162.400 MHz	Lake City
WWF88	162.425 MHz	Salem

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
WCTV	6	CBS	English
WTXL-TV (WTXL ABC 27)	27	ABC	English
WTWC-TV (NBC 40)	40	NBC	English
WFSU-TV (WFSU)	11	PBS	English

Official forecasts¶

National Weather Service Jacksonville: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 904-741-4370. Website.
National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris¶

Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-752-0025. Website.
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.
North Florida Water Utilities Authority: Runs the county water and sewer systems for Columbia and Suwannee counties. Office line. Phone: 386-984-7342. 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 Northeast Florida: United Way of Northeast Florida runs this 24/7 211 line for Northeast Florida, St. Johns County and the Suwannee Valley. 24 hours a day. Phone: 904-632-0600. 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 of the Big Bend: Regional food bank for the Big Bend; its site has a Find Food page. Phone: 850-562-3033. 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¶

Three Rivers Legal Services: Free civil legal aid for low-income residents of 17 North and North Central Florida counties. Toll free intake line, during business hours. Phone: 866-256-8091. 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 North Central Florida Chapter (North and Central 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: 352-376-4669. 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.