Hillsborough County officials want residents with medical, physical, or cognitive needs to sign up early for shelters before the next storm hits. Pre-registration helps county workers reach people and get them to safety when disaster strikes.
Five special needs shelters operate through a partnership with the Florida Department of Health. These sites serve people who depend on electricity for medical devices, oxygen tanks, or dialysis machines. Cots await residents and their caregivers. Nurses stay on-site to monitor health and assist with daily tasks.
“We do not provide bedside care,” said Claire Maher with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, according to Fox 13 News. “We don’t operate like a hospital or a nursing home. But we do have nurses on staff to provide that assistance with daily functions and needs and medical monitoring. But any of our clients who come to our shelters, we ask that you bring a caregiver with them.”
Hurricane Milton sent roughly 15,000 residents into county shelters in 2024. Special needs facilities housed about 1,000 people. That storm knocked out power for around 75% of the region.
The county’s website offers online sign-up. Pre-registration doesn’t guarantee a bed, but it allows officials to reach out and arrange transport when storms threaten.
Anyone requiring a ride to a special needs shelter can register with the Hillsborough County Sunshine Line. Every vehicle comes equipped with lifts, ramps, and wheelchair locks.
“All of our vehicles are ADA-accessible with lifts, with ramps, wheelchair securements,” said Jerry Stickney, the Director of the Hillsborough County Sunshine Line. “We have teams of two that go to pick up every individual.”
Pre-registered residents automatically connect with the Sunshine Line if they need a ride. Special needs shelter pickups get priority. During storms, the Sunshine Line opens a call center to help anyone seeking transport.
This year, the county revised its evacuation zones.