HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County is expanding its shelter capacity as Hurricane Milton nears, adding three more shelters to accommodate residents evacuating from vulnerable areas. This brings the total number of open general population shelters to 11, with three special-needs shelters also available.
New Shelters Opening Today:
The following shelters will open at 10:30 a.m. today:
- Mulrennan Middle School (NOT pet friendly), 4215 Durant Rd., Valrico
- Lockhart Elementary Magnet School (NOT pet friendly), 3719 N. 17th St., Tampa
- Collins PK-8 School (NOT pet friendly), 12424 Summerfield Blvd., Riverview
READ: Hurricane Milton Remains A Category 5, Threatens Florida With Catastrophic Impacts
Previously Opened Shelters:
These shelters are already open and accepting evacuees:
- Pet-friendly:
- Burnett Middle School, 1010 N. Kingsway Rd., Seffner
- Durant High School, 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City
- Middleton High School, 4801 N. 22nd St., Tampa
- Shields Middle School, 15732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin (currently at capacity)
- Sickles High School, 7950 Gunn Hwy., Tampa
- Steinbrenner High School, 5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz
- Not pet-friendly:
- Pizzo Elementary School, 11701 USF Bull Run Dr., Tampa
- Reddick Elementary School, 325 W. Lake Dr., Wimauma
Special Needs Shelters (Pet-friendly):
- Erwin Technical College, 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa
- Sumner High School, 10650 County Rd. 672, Riverview
- Strawberry Crest High School, 4691 Gallagher Rd., Dover
Important Notes for Evacuees:
- Special needs shelters are reserved for individuals with medical conditions requiring electricity or those with cognitive needs that cannot be met in a general population shelter.
- Residents with pets should bring a carrier, collar, leash, and supplies for each pet to last seven days. More information on pet preparedness can be found at hcfl.gov/residents/animals-and-pets/pet-ownership/pet-disaster-planning.
Evacuation Zones and Emergency Alerts:
Residents can find their evacuation zone at [insert link to evacuation zone map].
To stay informed, register for HCFL Alert, Hillsborough County’s emergency notification system, at HCFL.gov/HCFLAlert. For the latest updates, visit HCFL.gov/StaySafe or call (833) HC STORM or (833) 427-8676.
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