TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — As Hurricane Ian makes its way toward Tampa Bay, several area counties are opening shelters to help residents ride out the storm.
Ian strengthened into a poweful Category 3 storm Tuesday morning and has continued to intensify as it moves over Cuba.
Tampa Bay is in the direct path of the storm, and is currently under a hurricane warning. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations have been ordered for residents in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee, Pasco and Hernando counties, prompting shelters in some counties to open.
Here is a county-by-county list of shelters in the Tampa Bay area:
Hillsborough County
Public shelters
- Benito Middle, 10101 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa
- Bevis Elementary, 5720 Osprey Ridge Dr., Lithia
- Bowers-Whitley Career Center, 13609 N. 22nd St., Tampa
- Boyette Springs Elementary, 10141 Sedgebrook Dr., Riverview
- Brandon High School, 1101 Victoria St., Brandon
- Cimino Elementary, 4329 Culbreath Rd., Valrico
- Dorothy York Innovation Academy , 5995 Covington Garden Drive, Apollo Beach
- Hammond Elementary, 8008 N. Mobley Rd., Odessa
- Jennings Middle, 9325 Govenors Rd., Seffner
- Knights Elementary, 4815 N. Keene Rd., Plant City
- Lockhart Elementary, 3719 N 17TH St., Tampa
- Marshall Middle, 18 S. Maryland Ave., Plant City
- Martinez Middle, 5601 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
- McKitrick Elementary, 5503 Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
- Middleton High School, 4801 N 22nd St., Tampa
- Mulrennan Middle, 4215 Durant Rd., Tampa
- Nelson Elementary, 5413 Durant Rd., Tampa
- Newsome High School, 16550 Fishhawk Blvd., Lithia
- Pizzo Elementary, 11701 Bull Run, Tampa
- Pride Elementary, 10310 Lions Den Dr., Tampa
- Reddick Elementary, 325 West Lake Dr., Wimauma
- Sessums Elementary, 11525 Ramble Creek Dr., Tampa
- Summerfield Elementary, 11990 Big Bend Rd., Riverview
- Tomlin Middle, 501 N. Woodrow Wilson, Plant City
- Turkey Creek Middle, 5005 Turkey Creek Rd., Plant City
- Turner Elementary, 9020 Imperial Oaks Blvd., Tampa
- Valrico Elementary, 609 S Miller Rd., Valrico
- Wharton High School, 20150 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa
- Yuengling Center, 12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa
More information about the shelters is on the county’s website.
Special needs shelters
- Erwin Technical, 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa (Pet-friendly) – closed
- Riverview High School, 11311 Boyette Rd., Riverview (Pet-friendly)
- Strawberry Crest High School, 4591 Gallagher Rd., Dover (Pet-friendly)
- Sumner Elementary, 16650 Co. Rd. 672, Riverview (Pet-friendly)
To register online for a special needs shelter in Hillsborough County, click here.
Pet-friendly shelters
The county has eight more pet-friendly shelters that are not special needs:
- Barrington Middle, 5925 Village Center Dr., Lithia
- Bartels Middle, 9190 Imperial Oaks Blvd., Tampa
- Burnett Middle, 1010 N Kingsway Rd., Seffner
- Durant High School, 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City
- Sickles High School, 7950 Gunn Highway, Tampa
- Shields Middle, 5732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin
- Smith, SGT Paul Middle ,14303 Citrus Pointe Dr., Tampa
- Steinbrenner High School ,5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
To review pet shelter requirements, click here.
Pinellas County
Public shelters
- Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St. N., St. Petersburg
- Ross Norton Recreation Center, 1426 S Martin Luther King Jr Ave, Clearwater
Special needs shelters
- Dunedin Highland Middle, 70 Patricia Avenue, Dunedin
- John Hopkins Middle, 701 16th St S, St. Petersburg
Pet-friendly shelters
- Largo High, 410 Missouri Ave, Largo
To review pet shelter requirements, click here. For more information about shelters in Pinellas County, click here.
Sarasota County
Public shelters (all pet-friendly)
- Atwater Elementary School, 4701 Huntsville Ave, North Port
- Booker High School, 3201 N Orange Ave, Sarasota
- Brookside Middle School, 3636 S Shade Ave, Sarasota
- Fruitville Elementary School, 601 Honore Ave, Sarasota
- Gulf Gate Elementary School, 6500 S Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota
- Heron Creek Middle School, 6501 W Price Boulevard, North Port
- North Port High School, 6400 W Price Boulevard, North Port
- Phillippi Shores Elementary School, 4747 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
- Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota
- Southside Elementary School, 1901 Webber St, Sarasota
- Taylor Ranch Elementary School, 2500 Taylor Ranch Trail
- Woodland Middle School, 2700 Panacea Boulevard, North Port
More information is available on the Sarasota County website.
Manatee County
Public shelters
- Bayshore Elementary School, 6120 26th Street West, Bradenton
- Freedom Elementary School, 9515 State Road 64 East, Bradenton
- Gullett Elementary School, 12125 44th Ave. East, Bradenton
- Harvey Elementary School, 8610 115th Ave. East, Parrish
- Lee Middle School, 4000 53rd Avenue West, Bradenton
- McNeal Elementary School, 6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton
- Miller Elementary School, 601 43rd Street West, Bradenton
- Myakka Elementary School, 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City
- Rogers Garden Elementary School, 515 13th Ave West, Bradenton
- Williams Elementary School, 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish
- Willis Elementary School, 14705 The Masters Avenue, Bradenton
Pet-friendly shelters
- Braden River High School, 6120 26th Street West, Bradenton
- Manatee High School, 902 33rd Street Court West, Bradenton
- Mills Elementary School, 7200 69th Street East, Palmetto
Pasco County
Public shelters
- Centennial Middle School, 38505 Centennial Road, Dade City
- Cypress Creek High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road, Wesley Chapel
- Cypress Creek Middle School, 8845 Old Pasco Road, Wesley Chapel
- Pasco Middle School, 13925 14th Street, Dade City
- Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, 30649 Wells Road, #3903, Wesley Chapel
- Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Avenue, Wesley Chapel
Special needs shelters
- Fasano Regional Hurricane Center, 11611 Denton Avenue, Hudson (also pet-friendly)
- Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Boulevard, Wesley Chapel (also pet-friendly)
Pet-friendly shelters
- Fivay High School, 12115 Chicago Avenue, Hudson
- River Ridge Middle and High Schools, 11646 Town Center Road, New Port Richey
- Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Boulevard, Land O’ Lakes
Hernando County
Special needs shelters
- Challenger K-8, 13400 Elgin Blvd., Spring Hill
Pet-friendly shelters
- Enrichment Center Inc. of Hernando County, 800 John Gary Grubbs Blvd., Brooksville
- Explorer K-8, 10252 Northcliffe Boulevard., Spring Hill
If you go to a shelter, be sure to bring the following items with you in addition to emergency supplies such as food, medicine, first aid kits, etc.:
- Pillows, blankets, sleeping bags or air mattresses
- Extra clothing, shoes, eyeglasses, hearing aids (and batteries), etc.
- Personal toiletries, towels
- Folding chairs, lawn chairs or cots Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.)
- Quiet games, books, playing cards and favorite toys for children
- Important personal information (driver’s license, special medical information, insurance policies and property inventories, photographs)