Emergency Evacuations

There are two types of evacuation instructions:

Evacuation recommendation: The Mayor may recommend that certain residents take steps to evacuate due to their personal risk. A recommendation might be issued to residents who may need extra time to evacuate due to mobility challenges or people who live in areas prone to flooding that may not be in storm surge inundation areas.
Evacuation order: The Mayor may order residents of specific areas of the county deemed to be in danger, based on a hurricane’s track and projected storm surge.

Areas of the County that should evacuate will be announced through miamidade.gov and local media.

Residents are encouraged to stay with family members or friends who live inland in a non-evacuation area. Hurricane evacuation centers will open, but should only be considered as a shelter of last resort.

Evacuation orders are issued by zones or partial zones. Find out if you live in an area that may be at risk for storm surge by using the Storm Surge Planning Zone Finder. When an evacuation order is given you can find out if you need to evacuate by viewing the Evacuation Orders map.

Read more about Storm Surge Planning Zones

Once an emergency evacuation order has been issued, you can use the Storm Aides For Everyone (SAFE) application to find:

Evacuation centers
Bus pickup locations
Disaster assistance centers
Points of distribution (food, water and operational hospitals)

Once an evacuation is announced, the list of open centers will become available on www.miamidade.gov or by calling 311. Emergency bus pickup sites will be activated to provide transportation to and from the evacuation centers.

If a designated pickup site is not located near you, use Miami-Dade Transit to get to a pickup location. Advise the bus operator of your intention to go to an emergency evacuation pickup site.

Pet-friendly evacuation centers are available for residents living in evacuation areas, unsafe structures or mobile homes. Locations will be announced prior to the storm's arrival. Service animals are permitted at all evacuation centers.

Not every evacuation center location will open for every emergency. Decisions are based on the National Hurricane Center’s forecast in order to determine when and where landfall will occur.

Each evacuee is allotted 20 square feet of space at the evacuation center, so please bring only essential items. All evacuation centers meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for sheltering. Service animals are permitted.

If you need to evacuate, it is important to bring:
- Sleeping bag/mat or folding cot/lawn chair
- Infant and child care items, such as formula, diapers, toys, etc.
- Cash
- Personal hygiene items
- Comfort materials, such as books, magazines, etc.
- Medication (refrigeration will be available for prescription or emergency medication)
- Drinking water
- Snacks
- Extra clothing
- Special items for family members who are elderly or disabled
While hurricane evacuation centers will provide meals such as sandwiches and soups, it will take time to get the food set up and served, so you should eat before you leave your home.

If you have a special diet, you should bring those dietary items with you, so as to ensure the highest level of comfort during your evacuation away from home.

It is strongly recommended to bring portable electronic devices — such as phones, tablets and battery packs - fully charged as there are limited outlets at evacuation centers.
COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that has spread throughout the world. It is thought to spread mainly from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Spread is more likely when people are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). It may be possible that you can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or possibly your eyes.

If you need to evacuate, it is important to observe the COVID-19 Preventive Measures in the Evacuation Center:
- Bring your mask (face covering) and keep it on at all times. Anyone over 2 years old should use a cloth face covering while at the evacuation center
- Remember to wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Bring your hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to disinfect frequently touched items within your assigned space at the evacuation center
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Keep a 6-foot distance between yourself and persons that are not part of your immediate family, remember the cloth face mask is not a substitute for social-distancing
- Place used tissues in the trash
If you're unable to get to an evacuation center, the County has emergency evacuation bus pick-up sites you can use. Emergency evacuation bus pickup sites are identified by a sign that reads "EMERGENCY EVACUATION BUS PICKUP SITE."

The buses placed into service for the evacuation will have accessible wheelchair lifts and will have displays that read "EMERGENCY EVACUATION." These buses will only travel between emergency evacuation bus pickup sites and evacuation centers.

If a designated emergency evacuation bus pick-up site is not located near you, use Miami-Dade Transit to get there. Be sure to tell the bus operator of your intention to go to an emergency evacuation pickup site. Public transportation may shut down three hours before the storm or when winds exceed 39 mph.

For more information listen to local media, use our SAFE application or call 311.