With hurricane season upon us, it’s important to plan ahead and know what your options are before disaster strikes.
Lealman Exchange is a Special Needs Shelter, ready to assist residents with medical, functional, or special needs in an emergency. We encourage those with special needs, particularly anyone who has electricity-dependent medical needs such as oxygen, to register now for evacuation assistance.
In addition to those depending upon electricity, special needs eligibility includes those who require assistance with routine care and medications, and/or requiring mobility assistance.
There are also transportation options available if you don’t drive and you need to evacuate to a shelter. This is a separate registration process for transportation. Learn more about the County’s public emergency shelters here: https://pinellas.gov/emergency-information/public-shelters/
Pinellas County Emergency Management activates the Special Needs Evacuation Assistance Program during times of mandatory evacuation. The County will call registrants to confirm transportation needs, so it is important to register and keep contact information up to date annually.