City of Jacksonville Special Needs Evacuation Registration

Hurricane season begins in June and the City of Jacksonville's Emergency Preparedness Office wants all individuals with special medical needs to start thinking of a plan on how to stay safe with the threat of severe weather.

The City defines "special medical needs" as follows:  

A person qualifying for special needs is someone who is medically dependent on electricity (i.e. electricity needed for life supporting equipment). This may also include a person with regular need for assistance with medications and/or observation, dementia, chronic conditions that require assistance and persons with contagious health conditions that require minimal precautions or isolation (rare in shelter). 

Included in the list of special medical needs are those individuals who have a vision, hearing or mobility impairment.

In the event of an evacuation, individuals with special medical needs who wish to use a public shelter need to have completed and submitted the Special Needs Registration form. This form can be found online at the following address: www.coj.net/departments/fire-and-rescue/docs/emergency-preparedness/sneeds-evac-reg-2007-fillable.aspx This form must be completed and submitted as soon as possible. Once registered an individual remains in the system through January and then must re-register for the next year. Caregivers or family members may accompany the individual with special medical needs to the shelter. Those individuals who are pet owners and wish to evacuate with their pets must complete the Jacksonville Pet Friendly Public Evacuation Shelter Registration and Agreement found at this link: www.coj.net/departments/fire-and-rescue/docs/emergency-preparedness/get-ready/petfriendlyshelter-reg-ext.aspx

If the individual has transportation challenges he or she can register for transportation assistance by completing the Evacuation Transportation Needs Registration Form at the following link: www.coj.net/departments/fire-and-rescue/docs/emergency-preparedness/evac-transportation-needs-reg-form.aspx. In the event of an evacuation those individuals with special medical needs who require transportation are notified by phone to coordinate a pick-up time. When the threat has passed transportation is provided back to an individual's home where Special Needs program officials will determine if the residency is safe. 

For more information on the evacuation services provided by the Emergency Preparedness Division call 904-630-2472 or visit their website at: www.coj.net/departments/fire-and-rescue/emergency-preparedness.aspx