Hurricane Mathew Shelters Open Throughout Florida, Hotels Mostly Full

With Hurricane Mathew bearing down on Florida and mandatory evacuations issued for most of the east coast, residents and tourists are scrambling for shelter.

News for Shoppers has been surveying hotel availability in the Tampa area and the pickings are… well, non-existent. We were unable to find any hotels with availability for Oct 6 and Oct 7.

For those without the ability to stay with family or friends, public shelters are an option.

In Florida, shelters are opened, run, and managed, on a county by county basis.

Volunteer Florida has developed a list of shelter and shelter information by county (links to shelters by county posted below):

• Alachua • Baker • Bay • Bradford • Brevard • Broward • Calhoun • Charlotte • Citrus • Clay • Collier • Columbia • DeSoto • Dixie • Duval • Escambia • Flagler • Franklin • Gadsden • Gilchrist • Glades • Gulf • • Hamilton • Hardee • Hendry • Hernando • Highlands • Hillsborough • Holmes • • Indian River • Jackson • Jefferson • • Lafayette • Lake • Lee • Leon • Levy • Liberty • • Madison • Manatee • Marion • Martin • Miami-Dade • Monroe • Nassau • Okaloosa • Okeechobee • Orange • Osceola • • Palm Beach • Pasco • Pinellas • Polk • Putnam • • Santa Rosa • Sarasota • Seminole • St. Johns • St. Lucie • Sumter • Suwannee • • Taylor • Union • Volusia • Wakulla • Walton • Washington.

Volunteer Florida also has a link with shelter information for persons with special needs: http://floridadisaster.org/disability/

It’s important to note that not all shelters are open. The links above have specific information with shelter contact numbers and additional emergency info.

Shelters are asking that evacuees bring their own supplies. According to the St. Augustine Record, St Johns County shelters are asking that people “bring bedding, including sleeping bags or air mattresses, pillows, sheets, and blankets. A three-day supply of water, non-perishable food, medication, diapers, and other personal items are also suggested.”

Tell us about your hurricane Matthew shelter or evacuation experiences below.

And please share this post with your friends, family and followers – they’ll appreciate this info!

More on Matthew: Hurricane Matthew Florida Update: Evacuation Sites, Emergency Numbers & More