Broward's hurricane hotline is 311 or 954-831-4000. Fort Lauderdale hands out free sandbags Oct. 17-18 and Nov. 21-22. Season ends Nov. 30.

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Sources: Broward County’s hurricane website and official hurricane preparedness guide (PDF), the City of Fort Lauderdale’s hurricane preparedness page, and the Florida Department of Revenue.

Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30. In a storm, Broward County Emergency Management runs evacuations and shelters, and the City of Fort Lauderdale handles sandbags, city services and local alerts. The barrier island along the beach, low-lying areas beside tidal water and every mobile home are the first places told to leave.

Who to call

Know your evacuation area

Broward County uses two evacuation plans, shown on the shelter map in its preparedness guide (PDF):

Plan Typically for Who leaves
Plan A Category 1-2 hurricane The Plan A evacuation area, plus all mobile homes
Plan B Category 3 or higher The larger Plan B area, plus all mobile homes

The county also says people in low-lying areas or beside tidal water should go elsewhere if conditions warrant, and mobile home residents may be ordered out for tropical storm conditions. Look up your address on the county’s hurricane site before a storm forms.

The county’s advice on when to leave: evacuate if you are in an evacuation area or a mobile home when an order is issued; if you do not feel safe at home or do not want to be alone; or if you need one-on-one medical care.

Shelters

Staying with family or friends outside the evacuation area is the county’s first choice. Public shelters are a last resort, and not every shelter opens in every storm. Call 311 or 954-831-4000, or check Broward.org/Hurricane, for the ones that are open.

  • General population shelters: open to all, no registration. Each person gets 20 square feet and cots are not provided, so bring bedding, food, water, medicines and documents.
  • Pet-friendly shelters: bring your pet’s rabies certificate and, for Broward residents, its current county registration tag.
  • Special needs shelters: for people with medical conditions who do not need a hospital. Pre-register year-round at Broward.org/Registry or 954-831-3902.

The shelter in Fort Lauderdale on the county’s list is Arthur Ashe/Rock Island (Atlantic Technical College), 1701 NW 23rd Ave. Other shelters on the list include Pompano Beach High School, 600 NE 13th Ave., Pompano Beach, and Orange Brook Elementary, 715 S. 46th Ave., Hollywood. When an evacuation is ordered, Broward County Transit stops regular service and runs evacuation buses once shelters open: along A1A under Plan A, and along both A1A and Federal Highway under Plan B.

Sandbags

From the city’s sandbag page: free prefilled sandbags for Fort Lauderdale residents, five per vehicle, with proof of residency.

  • Where: George English Park, 1101 Bayview Drive; Holiday Park, 1150 G. Harold Martin Drive; Mills Pond Park, 2201 NW 9th Ave.; Riverland Park, 950 SW 27th Ave.
  • When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the third Saturday and Sunday of each month, May through November. The rest of this season: Oct. 17-18 and Nov. 21-22.
  • Self-fill: since May 16, 2026, residents who bring their own bags and shovels can fill them daily at Mills Pond Park.

Tax-free hurricane supplies

Florida no longer holds hurricane sales tax holidays. Since Aug. 1, 2025, these items are always exempt, according to the Department of Revenue’s Tax Information Publication 25A01-05 (PDF):

  • Batteries in AA, AAA, C, D, 6-volt and 9-volt sizes
  • Portable generators producing 10,000 running watts or less
  • Waterproof tarps of 1,000 square feet or less
  • Portable gas or diesel cans of 5 gallons or less
  • Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
  • Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers
  • Life jackets, insect repellent, sunscreen and bicycle helmets

Build a kit

The city’s list starts with supplies for at least three days: a gallon of water per person per day, nonperishable food and a manual can opener, a battery-powered flashlight and radio with extra batteries, a first aid kit, cash, a two-week supply of prescriptions, and important documents in a waterproof container. Add supplies for children, older relatives and pets, plus a tarp, rope and duct tape.

After the storm

  • Treat every downed power line as live; call 911 if one is sparking. Outages go to FPL; see power outages.
  • Do not drive unless it is an emergency: signals may be out and streets full of debris.
  • Photograph damage for your insurer, and report damage to the county at 311.

What this means for you

  • Look up your evacuation area now; the beach and the barrier island are the first to go.
  • Two sandbag weekends remain this season: Oct. 17-18 and Nov. 21-22.
  • Generators, batteries and tarps are tax-free all year.

Related: power outages and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my hurricane evacuation zone in Broward County?

Broward County publishes its evacuation areas, Plan A for a Category 1-2 storm and Plan B for Category 3 or higher, at broward.org/Hurricane. Mobile home residents must evacuate under both plans.

Where are hurricane shelters in Fort Lauderdale?

The county’s shelter list includes Arthur Ashe/Rock Island (Atlantic Technical College), 1701 NW 23rd Ave. Shelters open only as needed; call 311 or 954-831-4000 to learn which are open.

Where can I get sandbags in Fort Lauderdale?

The city hands out five prefilled bags per vehicle to residents at George English, Holiday, Mills Pond and Riverland parks, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the third Saturday and Sunday of each month, May through November. Bring proof of residency.

Is there a hurricane sales tax holiday in Florida?

Florida replaced the holidays with a permanent exemption on Aug. 1, 2025. Items such as portable generators of 10,000 running watts or less, AA to D and 6- and 9-volt batteries, and tarps up to 1,000 square feet are always tax-free.

When does hurricane season end?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30.