Home Emergency Evacuation Plan for Palm Beach County: Zones, Shutters and Insurance Records

A home emergency evacuation plan in South Florida is mostly about one hazard: hurricanes. If you just bought in Palm Beach County or Port St. Lucie, you will not need the earthquake or wildfire checklists that fill national guides. Instead, you need to know your evacuation zone, decide early whether you would leave, protect your windows and doors, and document your home for an insurance claim. This guide walks through each step using county emergency guides and state insurance advice.

Key takeaways

• Palm Beach County uses evacuation zones A, B, C, D, E and L. Look up your address on ReadyPBC.com or the PBC DART app.
• Everyone in a mobile or manufactured home or substandard housing must evacuate when ordered, no matter the zone.
• The county's motto is "run from water, hide from wind." If you plan to leave the county, the guide says to go at least three to five days before landfall.
• Record a video inventory of your home before the season, and keep receipts, serial numbers and policies in a waterproof, fireproof container.
• Never run a generator indoors or in a garage. The CDC says to keep it more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents.

Why a home emergency evacuation plan looks different here

County plans here focus on two threats, storm surge and wind. Palm Beach County's hurricane guide puts it plainly: evacuate from rising water, but shelter in a sound home from wind. That means many inland owners in well-built homes are told to stay put, while coastal owners and anyone in a mobile home must leave.

So your plan starts with two facts about your house. Where is it, and how was it built? Once you know both, most of the other choices fall into place.

Step 1: start your home emergency evacuation plan with your zone

Palm Beach County divides the county into zones A, B, C, D, E and L. Zone A covers people who must leave in any evacuation: residents of mobile or manufactured homes, substandard housing and flood-prone areas. Zones B through E mark coastal areas at risk from storm surge, and Zone L lies along Lake Okeechobee.

To find your zone, enter your address in the look-up tool at ReadyPBC.com or in the PBC DART app. Write the letter down and share it with everyone in the house. When officials order an evacuation, they call it by zone, so the letter is what you listen for.

Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County

St. Lucie County uses its own zones. Its preparedness guide, posted by the City of Port St. Lucie, lists Zone A for storm surge of 1 to 10 feet and Zone B for surge of 10 to 16 feet. For shelter openings and updates, the county's public information line is 772-460-HELP (4357). If you live in Port St. Lucie, check your address on the county's evacuation map rather than assuming you are inland enough.

Lake Worth Beach or Lake Worth?

New owners in central Palm Beach County should check one more detail. Voters in the city of Lake Worth approved a new name, Lake Worth Beach, on March 12, 2019. However, many homes outside the city still use a "Lake Worth" mailing address in unincorporated county land. So if your address says Lake Worth, confirm whether you are in the city of Lake Worth Beach or in the county. It changes which local government sends alerts, issues permits and runs your utilities.

Step 2: decide whether you would stay or leave

Your home emergency evacuation plan should make this call before a storm forms, not during a run on gas stations. The county guide treats mobile homes and substandard housing as mandatory evacuations in any hurricane warning. It defines substandard housing as a building that was not permitted and inspected under the Florida Building Code after March 1, 2002, unless it is solid reinforced masonry or retrofitted wood frame with impact protection on every glazed opening.

If your home is sound and outside an evacuation zone, the county asks you to shelter in place and stay off the roads. But if you live on a barrier island, near the Intracoastal or in a low area, expect an order to leave.

Where your home emergency evacuation plan sends you

Decide now where you would stay. The county lists friends or relatives, a hotel, or a public shelter as options. Public shelters are a last resort. Palm Beach County has 15 general population risk shelters, two special needs shelters and one pet-friendly shelter, but not all of them open for every storm.

The pet-friendly shelter is at the West Boynton Recreation Center and requires pre-registration. It only accepts residents of a mandatory evacuation zone, a mobile home or substandard housing. Owners stay at the nearby general shelter at Park Vista High School. Residents with certain medical needs can apply in advance to the Special Needs Shelter Program by calling 561-712-6400.

If you plan to leave the county, the guide says to go early, at least three to five days before projected landfall.

Step 3: protect openings with shutters or impact glass

Windows and doors are where wind gets in. Once wind enters, pressure can lift a roof. The county's myth list makes this point too: opening windows does not help, and keeping the house sealed is safer.

Most owners choose between storm shutters and impact-rated windows and doors. Shutters cost less up front but must go up before each storm. Impact glass stays in place, so there is nothing to install when a storm turns your way. Either way, the county guide advises that shutters be fixed to the house's structural framing, not to window or door frames. It also suggests putting up second-story shutters first.

These choices also affect insurance. Florida's wind mitigation inspection gives credit for opening protection, so keep the product approvals and permits. Our guide to Florida hurricane insurance explains how those credits work.

Prep the yard before the season

Next, look at trees and loose items. The county recommends major tree cutting from December through April, well before June 1. Once a storm is named, it asks owners not to start big yard projects, and during a watch or warning, not to put debris at the curb. Bring in patio furniture, grills and anything else that could fly.

Step 4: add insurance records to your home emergency evacuation plan

A claim goes faster when you can prove what you owned and what shape the home was in. Florida's Department of Financial Services advises a home inventory with photos and video of the inside and outside of the home. Include receipts, purchase dates and serial numbers. Then store copies of the inventory and your policies in a waterproof, fireproof container.

The county guide adds a smart step: keep a copy with a friend out of town. A cloud folder works too. After a storm, take photos of all damage before repairs and keep every receipt for temporary fixes.

Check flood coverage early

Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood. If you want flood insurance, buy it well before a storm. Under the National Flood Insurance Program, a new policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. The main exception applies when you buy the policy while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage.

Step 5: generator safety in your home emergency evacuation plan

Many South Florida owners rely on a generator after a storm. Used wrong, it can kill. The CDC says to use generators only outside and more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. It also recommends a battery-powered or battery backup carbon monoxide detector in the home.

The county guide adds more rules. Never run a generator in a garage, even with the door open. Never plug it into a wall outlet to power the house, a practice called back feeding that can electrocute utility workers. And never store fuel inside the home. Turn the unit off and let it cool before you refuel.

Step 6: protect the house if you leave

If you evacuate, give the house the best chance first. Close shutters, bring in loose items and move valuables and papers to a high, dry spot or take them with you. Fill your car's tank, get cash and pack medications.

Also set up a contact plan. The county suggests an out-of-state contact everyone can call. Ask a neighbor who stays to check on the house, and keep your insurer's claim number in your phone.

A quick home emergency evacuation plan checklist

1. Look up your zone and write it down.
2. Decide where you would go and how you would get there.
3. Register for the pet-friendly or special needs shelter if you might need one.
4. Store water for at least five days, at one gallon per person per day, as the county suggests.
5. Test shutters or confirm your impact glass approvals.
6. Record a video inventory and back it up.
7. Review your homeowners and flood policies.
8. Set up the generator outdoors with a CO detector inside.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my evacuation zone in Palm Beach County?

Use the evacuation zone look-up tool at ReadyPBC.com or the PBC DART app. Enter your address to see your zone and nearby shelters.

Do I have to evacuate if I live inland?

Usually not, if your home is structurally sound and outside a zone that has been ordered to leave. Mobile and manufactured homes are the exception. Those residents must evacuate in any hurricane warning.

Can I bring my pet to a shelter?

Only to the pet-friendly shelter, and only after pre-registration. General risk shelters do not accept pets, though service animals are treated differently.

What should a home emergency evacuation plan include for insurance?

Include a photo and video inventory, receipts, serial numbers, your policy numbers and your insurer's claim line. Keep copies in a waterproof, fireproof container and a copy out of town.

Sources

• Palm Beach County, Hurricane Survival Guide
• Palm Beach County Emergency Management, Hurricane
• St. Lucie County Disaster Preparedness Guide
• WFLX, Lake Worth changing its name to Lake Worth Beach
• Florida Department of Financial Services, Plan Prepare Protect
• FEMA FloodSmart, Buy a flood insurance policy
• CDC, Carbon monoxide poisoning basics

This article is general information, not legal, insurance or financial advice. Follow official evacuation orders, and check your own policy terms with your insurer or agent.

Thinking about selling before next hurricane season? Shutters, impact glass and good records help a home sell, and Pure Equity can show you how buyers will weigh them in your price. New to the area? Request a free relocation consultation and we will help you compare zones, home types and insurance costs. Talk with our team.