How do I register for a special needs shelter in Okaloosa County?

Register at the Florida Special Needs Registry, snr.flhealthresponse.com. The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County reviews applications and answers questions at (850) 344-0570.

Who qualifies for a special needs shelter in Florida?

People who rely on medical devices that need electricity, have chronic or acute medical conditions, need skilled nursing help or need caregiver support, according to the Florida Department of Health in Bay County. Assisted living residents are covered by their facility's plan.

What do I bring to a special needs shelter?

Bring your own medicine, medical supplies and equipment, and a caregiver if you need one, plus ID, insurance cards and records. Bay County's disaster guide says special needs shelters do not provide them.

How do I find my evacuation zone in Walton County?

Go to waltoncountyem.org and choose Know Your Evacuation Zone. Walton County uses zones A to E, based on storm surge risk, according to the county's All Hazards Guide.

Hurricane prep for new Emerald Coast retirees: evacuation zones and special needs shelters

New retirees on the Emerald Coast should do three things before the next storm: look up their evacuation zone by address, sign up for their county’s emergency alerts and, if they depend on electricity or nursing care, preregister for a special needs shelter. As of Oct. 30, 2026, all four counties (Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay) use the same statewide sign-up for special needs shelters, the Florida Special Needs Registry run by the Florida Department of Health, and each county health department reviews the application. Registration is free and open year-round.

How do I find my hurricane evacuation zone?

Your evacuation zone is set by your address and the storm surge risk there, not by how far you live from the beach. The Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Know Your Zone page says Florida’s zones are lettered A to F and that Zone A is generally the first to be ordered out. Walton County‘s All Hazards Guide uses zones A to E and notes that they reflect storm surge, not wind speed or storm category.

Each county has its own lookup:

County	Find your zone	Alert sign-up	Emergency management phone
Okaloosa	myokaloosa.com/gis_PS	AlertOkaloosa.com	Citizens Information Line (850) 609-7000 or 311
Walton	waltoncountyem.org, “Know Your Evacuation Zone”	alertwalton.org	(850) 892-8065
Santa Rosa	santarosa.fl.gov/emergency	alertsantarosa.com	(850) 983-1877 (county administrator’s office)
Bay	baycountyfl.gov/511/Evacuation-Zones	alertbay.org	(850) 248-6040

Sources: Okaloosa County storm FAQ, Walton County All Hazards Guide, Santa Rosa County special needs page and the Bay County Disaster Preparedness Guide.

If you live in a mobile or manufactured home, the Florida Division of Emergency Management says to follow every evacuation order, whatever your zone.

Who qualifies for a special needs shelter?

A special needs shelter is for people whose medical needs go beyond what a general shelter can handle. The Florida Department of Health in Bay County‘s special needs page lists people who rely on medical devices that need electricity, people with chronic or acute medical conditions, people who need skilled nursing help and anyone who needs caregiver support while sheltering.

Walton County Emergency Management adds people who need transportation to evacuate because of a medical condition and people who need help getting medication during a disaster. Residents of assisted living facilities are not eligible, because the facility handles their plan, according to Bay County’s guide.

Every county calls these shelters a last resort. The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County says a special needs shelter should back up “a well-developed personal disaster plan,” not replace it.

How do I register for a special needs shelter?

Register online at the Florida Special Needs Registry, snr.flhealthresponse.com, linked from the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s disability planning page. The health department reviews the medical part of the form and assigns the right shelter. If you cannot register online, call your county:

County	Who reviews	Phone
Okaloosa	Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County	(850) 344-0570
Walton	Walton County Emergency Management	(850) 892-8065
Santa Rosa	Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County (mail-in form on the county site)	(850) 983-5200
Bay	Florida Department of Health in Bay County	(850) 872-4455

Phones as of Oct. 30, 2026, from the Okaloosa and Santa Rosa health department pages, the Walton guide and the Bay County page. Bay County encourages registering before hurricane season starts on June 1.

What should I bring to a special needs shelter?

Bring your own medicine, medical supplies and equipment, and a caregiver if you need one. The Bay County guide says special needs shelters do not provide them. The same guide lists clothing, toiletries, cash, ID, water, food, and copies of insurance and medical records.

Ready.gov’s guide for older adults adds three steps:

Pack batteries and chargers for medical devices.
Make copies of your Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance cards.
Give at least one person in your support network a spare key and show them where your supplies are.

If you get dialysis or other routine treatment, ask the clinic now about its emergency plan and backup site.

Where is the special needs shelter in my county?

Shelter sites change with each storm, so listen to county alerts. Walton County’s guide names Freeport High School, 12615 U.S. 331 Business, Freeport, as its primary shelter for the general population, pets and special needs registry clients. Okaloosa County posts open shelters at myokaloosa.com/ps/evacuation during an emergency.

Okaloosa County also offers the free Lean on Me Program, which pairs residents with screened volunteers who help write a personal emergency plan, according to the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County.

This story is information, not tax, legal or medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

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