St. Lucie County – Shelter Openings

Saint Lucia County – Tuesday, November 8, 2022: In anticipation of Tropical Storm Nicole, which is expected to develop into a hurricane before impacting the Treasure Coast, the St. Lucia County Department of Public Safety will open shelters beginning Wednesday, November 9 at 10 a.m.

Voluntary evacuation is strongly encouraged for people living along the barrier island and low-lying flood-prone areas. Residents are encouraged to seek refuge inland with family or friends. Shelters for the general population will be open as a shelter of last resort.

The following shelters will open in St. Lucie County beginning Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m.

• Special Needs Shelter: Havert L. Fenn, 2000 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce, Florida 34982
• Pet-Friendly Shelter/General Population Shelter: Fort Pierce Westwood Academy, 1801 Panther Lane, Fort Pierce, Florida 34947
• Shelter for the general population: Treasure Coast High School, 1000 SW Darwin Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34953

Here is a list of essential items residents should bring to a shelter:

• Pillow, blanket and sheets for everyone in your group. It is suggested to bring a folding bed, double air mattress or equivalent for sleeping.
• Three-day supply of non-perishable foods for individual taste and/or special diet per person.
• Drinking water supply for three days in one or more unbreakable containers. (1 gallon per day, per person).
• Prescription drugs in their prescription bottles. If you have a do not resuscitate order (DNRO), bring it with you. Don’t forget to bring the original document as it is on canary yellow paper.
• Personal items:
• Important documents (Personal identification, insurance policies, etc.)
• Reading glasses
• Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, soap, towel, washcloth, etc.)
• Change of clothes
• Sweater or jacket
• Rainwear
• Quiet games, i.e. cards, books and knitting.

SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER (All of the above plus):

• Vital medical equipment i.e. oxygen concentrators, portable oxygen cylinders.

PET-FRIENDLY SHELTER (All of the above plus):

• You must provide proof of rabies vaccination for your dog or cat.
• Pets must remain contained in an approved carrier (hard plastic or wire) except at scheduled times. Carriers should be large enough to accommodate bedding, food/water bowls, and litter boxes
• At least one family member must stay at the shelter at all times while their animal is being housed.
• Each pet owner is responsible for assigning a caregiver to visit, walk, clean, feed, and administer medication.
• To avoid stomach upset, pets should be fed their usual diet, water should be changed daily. Pet carriers and their immediate surroundings should be kept tidy and clean.
• Dogs must be kept on a short leash at all times when not in their crate. Retractable leachates are discouraged.
• Dogs should only be walked in designated areas and owners should use waste bags (provided). There are designated disposal areas for waste.
• Pets and carriers must maintain proper identification.
• Pet owners are responsible for all items brought into the shelter for themselves and/or their pets and will not hold shelter staff responsible for items left behind.

St. Lucie County Board of Commissioners offices, including libraries and attractions, will be closed on Wednesday, November 9 and Thursday, November 10. Additionally, county offices are closed on Friday, November 10 for Veterans Day. All public schools and other government offices will also be closed on Wednesday November 9 and Thursday November 10.
St. Lucia County’s transit system, ART (Area Regional Transit), bus service will continue to operate as normal until noon on Wednesday, November 9, weather permitting. Paratransit services will only run dialysis trips on Wednesday, November 9, weather permitting. All other paratransit services will be suspended. The Advantage Ride service will be closed on Wednesday November 9th and Thursday November 10th. Passengers are encouraged to monitor the timetable using the RouteShout app, available on the Apple Store and Google Play sites.

All beaches in St. Lucie County will be closed beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 without lifeguards present. Swimmers should exercise extreme caution when entering the ocean as strong undertow and rip currents will continue for several days. Additionally, strong waves and erosion can expose sea turtle nests. Exposed eggs should be left alone. Contracted St. Lucie County biologists will continue to monitor nests and beach conditions after the storm passes. If you find any wildlife, including sea turtles, in distress, please call the FWC hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

The St. Lucie County Landfill and Waste Pro will continue normal operations as long as weather permits.

St. Lucie County declared a local state of emergency at 6:44 a.m. on Tuesday, November 8. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 34 counties, including St. Lucie County, on Monday, November 7.

The St. Lucie County Emergency Operations Center is operating at Level 1 (Full) Activation. If residents have any questions or concerns, they should call the St. Lucie County Public Information Lines at 772-460-4357 or 772-460-HELP, which are open today until 7 p.m. and the rest of the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (These times are subject to change depending on the path of the storm).

St. Lucie County Shelters are operated in cooperation with St. Lucie Public Schools, the Florida Department of Health – St. Lucie, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Fire District. St. Lucia County.

The potential for heavy rain and flash flooding will be in effect for the next few days. Residents can report a flood by emailing details, including addresses and images, to [email protected]. In the event of a life-threatening emergency flood, please call 911. Residents are reminded to avoid driving and/or walking on flooded streets.

St. Lucie County has additional storm information available at www.readystlucie.org as well as our social media channels @StLucieGov.