Taylor County hurricane guide¶
Taylor County Emergency Management, a division of the Sheriff's Office, runs hurricane planning and alerts, and the Board of County Commissioners issues evacuation orders. Storm surge is the greatest danger: the county's 45 mile coast is low tidal marsh, and the flood zone reaches 2 to 8 miles inland. In Hurricane Helene in 2024, every resident was ordered to evacuate and no shelters opened in the county, so plan now where you would go outside the area.
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 Taylor County Sheriff's Office, Division of Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.
What to know in Taylor County¶
- County officials say a Category 1 hurricane can push storm surge 10 feet above sea level in Taylor County, a Category 2 or 3 storm 24 feet, and a Category 4 or 5 storm 34 feet. In a Category 5 storm, surge flooding can reach more than 10 miles inland.
- The National Weather Service estimates that storm surge from Hurricane Helene in 2024 reached more than 15 feet above ground at Keaton Beach, where county officials estimated 80 percent of the community was destroyed.
- After a storm, sort debris into separate piles (vegetation, building materials, household items, appliances, electronics, and hazardous materials) and leave it loose at the curb. Keep piles off the road and sidewalk and away from storm drains, utility poles, fire hydrants, and mailboxes.
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 | 850-838-3575 | Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| County information line | 850-838-3500 | Taylor County Administrative Complex, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Not for emergencies. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 850-584-2429 | For police matters that are not emergencies. Answered 24 hours a day. |
| Animal services | 850-838-3525 | Taylor County Animal Control, weekdays. After hours, call 850-584-2429 for animal emergencies. |
| Road and traffic conditions (FL511) | 511 | Evacuation routes and road closures. |
Official alerts and information¶
- Alert Taylor: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
- Taylor County Emergency Management: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
- Taylor County Emergency Management on Facebook: County officials post their most up to date announcements here. Website.
Evacuation zones¶
Taylor County has five evacuation zones, A through E, from the coast inland toward Perry, and Zone A is usually the most vulnerable and the first to be told to leave. The Board of County Commissioners issues voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders based mainly on forecast storm surge. Under a voluntary order, people in mobile homes, flood prone areas, and older homes, and anyone who needs extra help, should consider leaving, and under a mandatory order, everyone in the area should leave right away. See the state's printable Taylor County zone map.
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.
Taylor County does not publish a shelter list on its website. Follow Alert Taylor and the Emergency Management Facebook page for the latest announcements, including any shelter that opens. During Hurricane Helene in 2024, every resident was ordered to evacuate and no shelters opened in the county, so plan to stay with friends or family, or at a hotel, outside the threatened area.
Help to evacuate¶
- Florida Special Needs Shelter Registry: Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. Registering does not guarantee a place: the Florida Department of Health in Taylor County contacts you to check that the shelter can meet your needs. Questions go to Taylor County Emergency Management at this number. Phone: 850-838-3575. Website.
- Taylor County Animal Control: County animal control. An on-call officer handles emergencies after hours, weekends, and holidays at 850-584-2429. Phone: 850-838-3525. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTNT-FM | 94.9 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
| WFSU-FM | 88.9 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
| WFLA-FM | 100.7 FM | English | Talk station for Tallahassee, licensed to Midway. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| WWF88 | 162.425 MHz | Salem |
| KIH24 | 162.400 MHz | Tallahassee |
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 Tallahassee: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 850-942-8833. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 1-800-999-2285. 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.
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¶
- 211 Big Bend (now Lifeline Connection): The 211 helpline for the Big Bend counties around Tallahassee; it connects callers to local help and crisis support. 24 hours a day. Phone: 850-617-6333. 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¶
- NWF Health Network (Northwest Florida 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 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.
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.taylorcountygov.com/residents/surge_potential_map.php
- https://www.weather.gov/media/tae/TropicalEventSummary/PSHTAE_2024AL09_Helene_ImpactNarratives.pdf
- https://taylorsheriff.org/emergency-management-new-page/
- https://www.taylorcountygov.com/residents/emergency_operations_center.php
- https://taylorsheriff.org/dispatch-center/
- https://www.taylorcountygov.com/departments/animal_control/index.php
- https://www.fl511.com/
- https://www.taylorcountygov.com/residents/evacuation_map.php
- https://taylor.floridahealth.gov/2026/06/29/doh-taylor-reminds-residents-with-special-needs-to-register-for-special-needs-shelter/
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/FLC123
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTNT
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFSU
- https://wflafm.iheart.com/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WCTV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTXL-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTWC-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WFSU-TV
- https://tcec.com/outages-safety
- https://www.duke-energy.com/Customer-Landing-Pages/Florida-Storm-Ready
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://fightinghunger.org/
- 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.trls.org/locations/
- https://www.floridabar.org/public/consumer/hurricaneinfo/
- https://nwfhealth.org/
- https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection/price-gouging
- https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp
- https://211bigbend.org/
- https://www.redcross.org/local/florida/north-central-florida/about-us/locations/north-central-florida.html