Hurricane Preparedness for Seniors in Northeast Florida: The Complete 2026 Guide

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. For seniors 65 and older living in Northeast Florida, that is six months of elevated risk — not just from the storms themselves, but from everything that follows: power outages affecting medical equipment, disrupted medication supplies, extreme heat, and the isolation that can set in when roads are blocked and phones are down.

According to FEMA, older adults account for a disproportionate share of hurricane-related fatalities. Most of those deaths do not happen during the storm. They happen in the days and weeks after, when the immediate danger has passed but the real hardships are just beginning.

The good news: preparation works. Seniors who take a handful of concrete steps before a storm hits are dramatically better positioned to come through safely. This guide covers everything you need — organized by county so you can find exactly what applies to your situation.

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to be above average in activity. Northeast Florida sits in a particularly vulnerable position — the coastline from Nassau County down through Volusia County is exposed to storms tracking up the Florida peninsula, and the St. Johns River basin creates significant inland flooding risk even for storms that make landfall well to the south.

Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia, and Putnam counties have all experienced direct hits and near-misses from major storms in recent decades. Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Irma (2017) caused widespread damage across the region. Preparation is not a precaution for unlikely events — it is a practical necessity for living in Northeast Florida.

Before we get into county-specific resources, here are the five most important actions for seniors to take before any storm is on the forecast:

1. Pre-register for the Special Needs Shelter. If you use medical equipment (oxygen, CPAP, dialysis), have mobility limitations, or require medical supervision during an evacuation, contact your county emergency management office and register for the Special Needs Shelter. This registration ensures transportation assistance and appropriate shelter placement. Do this now — not when a storm is approaching.

2. Stock 7 to 14 days of all prescription medications. Pharmacies may be closed for days or weeks after a major storm. Most Medicare Part D plans will allow early refills before a named storm — call your pharmacy or plan now to get ahead. Do not wait until the storm is forecast.

3. Register for the Medical Baseline program with your electric utility. If you use life-sustaining medical equipment at home — oxygen concentrators, home dialysis machines, ventilators — register with your utility provider. This flags your address for priority restoration consideration and may qualify you for bill assistance. It takes about five minutes and costs nothing.

4. Contact your Area Agency on Aging. ElderSource serves all ten counties in Northeast Florida and coordinates senior welfare checks, debris removal assistance, and connection to recovery resources. Call (904) 391-6600 to register for pre-storm wellness checks. This is especially important for seniors who live alone.

5. Know your evacuation zone. Evacuation zones in Northeast Florida are lettered (A through F in most counties), with Zone A being the highest risk. Your zone is based on your address — not your proximity to the coast. Check your county's emergency management website now and write down your zone. Zones can be reassigned as storms approach, so verify each season.

A standard emergency kit covers the basics. A senior-specific kit goes further. Here is what to have ready before hurricane season:

• Medicare card (original or a photocopy kept separately)
• Medicare Advantage or Supplement insurance card
• Part D prescription drug card
• Complete medication list with dosages and prescribing physicians
• List of all doctors with phone numbers
• Photo ID and Social Security card (copies stored separately from originals)
• Insurance policies — home, auto, life
• Bank account information and some cash in small bills
• Emergency contact list
• Power of attorney and advance directive documents

• 7 to 14 day supply of all prescription medications
• Over-the-counter medications you use regularly
• Extra batteries for hearing aids
• Backup power source for CPAP or BiPAP (battery packs are widely available)
• Extra oxygen supplies if you are on home oxygen — coordinate with your supplier before the storm
• Blood pressure cuff and glucometer with extra test strips
• Eyeglasses and a backup pair if possible
• Medical alert device, fully charged

• One gallon of water per person per day (minimum three-day supply, ideally seven)
• Non-perishable food for three to seven days — focus on easy-open cans and no-cook options
• Manual can opener
• Flashlights with extra batteries, or a hand-crank flashlight
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• First aid kit
• Cash in small bills — ATMs may be down for days
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery pack
• Whistle to signal for help if you become trapped

Hurricanes create unique Medicare challenges that most people do not think about until they are in the middle of a crisis. Here is what to know in advance.

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers emergency care at any Medicare-participating hospital, regardless of whether you are in your home area. If you evacuate to another county or another state entirely, Medicare covers emergency services at any participating facility. You do not need a referral or prior authorization for emergency care.

During a federally declared disaster, Medicare Advantage plans are required to waive prior authorization requirements and allow members to use out-of-network providers at in-network cost-sharing for emergency and urgently needed care. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan and need care outside your normal network during a storm, you should not be charged out-of-network rates for emergency services.

During a federally declared disaster, Medicare Part D plans are required to provide early refills and allow you to fill prescriptions at out-of-network pharmacies. Call your plan's member services number — printed on your insurance card — to request an emergency supply. Most plans will provide a 30-day emergency supply at a covered pharmacy, even if you recently filled the prescription.

You can access your Medicare information through your MyMedicare.gov account online or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Your Medicare number is also on file with your doctors and pharmacies. Request a replacement card through MyMedicare.gov or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

If you receive dialysis, contact your dialysis center before any storm to understand their emergency protocols. They will direct you to an open facility if yours closes. The Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition also maintains an emergency hotline at (866) 901-3773. Medicare covers dialysis at any Medicare-certified facility.

Disaster-related anxiety, depression, and PTSD are real and common. Medicare Part B covers outpatient mental health services including counseling and therapy. The SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1-800-985-5990.

For the complete county-by-county resource directory — including sandbag distribution sites, debris removal contacts, shelter locations, senior outreach organizations, faith-based disaster relief, and utility restoration programs — visit our dedicated resource page:

Hurricane Preparedness for Seniors in Northeast Florida — Full Resource Directory

That page is organized by county and covers Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia, and Putnam in detail. Here is a quick reference for the most important contacts:

ElderSource (Area Agency on Aging — all NE Florida counties): (904) 391-6600

• Fill your car with gas immediately — gas stations run out quickly
• Withdraw cash in small bills
• Fill your bathtub with water for flushing toilets
• Charge all devices and backup batteries
• Get sandbags if you are in a flood-prone area (contact your county emergency management office for distribution sites)
• Bring in all outdoor furniture, plants, and decorations
• Board windows or install hurricane shutters
• Notify a trusted family member or neighbor of your plans
• If ordered to evacuate, leave immediately — do not wait

• Stay away from windows and exterior walls
• Do not use generators, grills, or camp stoves indoors — carbon monoxide is deadly
• Do not walk or drive through floodwater — six inches of moving water can knock a person down
• Keep your phone charged and monitor emergency alerts
• Do not call 911 for non-life-threatening issues during the storm

• Do not return home until officials say it is safe
• Document all damage with photos before beginning cleanup
• Contact your homeowner's insurance immediately
• Apply for FEMA assistance if a disaster is declared: 1-800-621-3362 or DisasterAssistance.gov
• Contact your Area Agency on Aging for debris removal assistance
• Refill medications — Part D plans must provide emergency supplies during declared disasters
• Watch for heat exhaustion if power is out — find a cooling center if needed
• Be alert for contractor scams — use only licensed, insured contractors

Churches and faith-based organizations are often the first to mobilize after a storm — frequently before government assistance arrives. In Northeast Florida, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and local Baptist and Methodist churches all have active disaster relief programs that provide food, water, cleanup crews, and emergency financial assistance.

These organizations serve everyone regardless of faith. If you need help after a storm and government resources are overwhelmed, contact your nearest Salvation Army chapter or Catholic Charities office.

For the full list of faith-based disaster relief contacts organized by county, see the complete resource directory.

A hurricane is not the time to discover your Medicare plan has gaps — that your Part D plan does not cover the pharmacy you evacuated near, or that your Medicare Advantage plan has prior authorization requirements that slow down emergency care.

I help Northeast Florida seniors review their Medicare coverage, understand their emergency rights under Medicare, and make sure they are protected before storm season hits. This review is completely free and comes with no obligation.

Schedule a Free Medicare Review or call me directly at the number on this page.

• Senior Resources in Northeast Florida — SHINE counseling, Area Agency on Aging, VA services, Social Security offices, and more
• Medicare Enrollment in Florida — Enrollment periods, deadlines, and how to sign up
• Medicare in Duval County (Jacksonville)
• Medicare in St. Johns County (St. Augustine)
• Medicare in Flagler County (Palm Coast)
• Medicare in Volusia County (Daytona Beach)
• Medicare in Putnam County (Palatka)
• Long-Term Care Planning in Florida

William Gray is an independent Medicare broker serving Northeast Florida since 1998. FL License W690237. This article is for informational purposes only. Contact your county emergency management office for official evacuation orders and shelter information.