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Martin County outlines shelter operations, urges residents to prepare for hurricane season
Summary
Martin County emergency management described how shelters will operate during storms, what residents should bring, how transportation and special-needs registration work, and how county staff prepare and train ahead of and during storms.
Martin County emergency management described shelter operations, transportation and pre-storm staffing steps and urged residents to prepare during a county podcast and an on-site shelter training session.
The county said it maintains 10 designated shelters — including one special‑needs shelter and one pet‑friendly shelter — and that most shelters use school gymnasiums where each person is allotted about 20 square feet. Amy Heimberger Lopez, Martin County emergency management deputy director, said the sites are intended only to provide a safe place to weather a storm, not comfort or long‑term lodging. “It’s a lifeboat, not a cruise ship,” Heimberger Lopez said.
Why it matters: Shelters provide basic, life‑safety space for people without a safe, well‑built place to ride out a storm. Space, staffing and medical criteria limit who can be accommodated in particular shelters, so residents who think they may need a shelter should plan now and follow county messaging.
Most important details
- Shelter capacity and setup: The county operates 10 shelters total — one designated…
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