What is my hurricane evacuation zone in Vero Beach? How to look it up before the next storm

Hurricane season runs through November 30. When a storm heads our way, Indian River County does not say "everybody leave." It orders evacuations by zone. So the most useful thing you can know before a storm is one letter: your zone.

Most of us never look it up until the TV says "Zone A, go." Then the websites are slow and everyone is in line for gas. Do it now instead.

Indian River County's evacuation zones in plain English

The county's disaster preparedness guide splits the county into zones based on how exposed each area is to a storm. Here is how it describes them.

• Zone A (red): the barrier island and mobile home parks. In Vero Beach, that means the beachside, east of the lagoon.
• Zone B (orange): areas east of U.S. Highway 1.
• Zone C (yellow): the St. Sebastian River area.
• Zones D and E: all areas east of the FEC Railway, which includes Zones A, B and C.

Zone A is the one described as most prone to hurricane damage. The guide is also clear on one point: mobile home residents must evacuate regardless of location. Even if your park is far from the water, a mobile home order applies to you.

Your evacuation zone is not the same thing as your FEMA flood zone. The county's map site shows them as separate layers, Storm Surge Zones and FEMA Flood Zones. One does not tell you the other, so check both.

How to look up your Vero Beach address

You have two easy options. The Florida Division of Emergency Management runs a statewide Know Your Zone map at floridadisaster.org/know. You enter an address, or use your phone's location, and it shows the designated evacuation zones.

Indian River County also has a maps site. The county guide tells residents to look for the Storm Surge Zones and FEMA Flood Zones maps there, and to call Emergency Management if they are unsure. The state's own advice is worth repeating: during an emergency, always follow your local emergency management program on evacuation orders.

Shelters, pets and special needs

Most public shelters in Indian River County are in schools. The county guide is blunt that shelters do not open at the same time, and some may not open at all. Do not drive to a school because it was a shelter last time. Check which ones are open when the order comes.

The special needs shelter is at Treasure Coast Elementary in Sebastian. It is for people who depend on electricity, oxygen or dialysis, among others, and pre-registration is required. Call 772-226-3900 for information. The guide says transportation must be registered before hurricane season, and last-minute pickups are not guaranteed.

The pet-friendly shelter is at Liberty Magnet School, 6850 81st Street, run with the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County. It is for people who live in an evacuation area, such as the barrier island, a mobile home or east of U.S. 1. Bring a carrier or crate, food and medicine, plus proof of your pet's rabies vaccine and county license.

What to do this week

1. Look up your address on floridadisaster.org/know and write your zone letter on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door.
2. Sign up for the county's free emergency alerts at ircgov.com/emergencyservices.
3. Pick where you would go if your zone is called: a friend or family member outside the zone is usually more comfortable than a shelter.
4. If anyone in your home depends on power or oxygen, call 772-226-3900 about the special needs shelter now, not when the storm is three days out.
5. If you have pets, put their rabies certificate and county license in a zip bag with your other papers.
6. Save the county's public information line, 772-226-3927, which is turned on during disasters.