What evacuation zone is my Sebastian home in? The zones, the shelters in town, and who to call

Hurricane season does not end until November 30. When a storm threatens, Indian River County does not tell the whole county to leave. It orders evacuations by zone. So the one thing worth knowing before the next storm is your zone letter, or that you do not have one.

Most Sebastian neighbors never look it up until the TV says "Zone A, go." By then, websites are slow and gas lines are long. It takes two minutes on a calm day. Here is how.

The three zones, in Sebastian terms

Indian River County's guide describes its evacuation zones like this:

• Zone A: the area most prone to hurricane damage. It includes the barrier island and all mobile and manufactured home communities, wherever they are. If you live in one in Sebastian, you are in Zone A even if you are miles from the beach.
• Zone B: all areas east of U.S. Highway 1. In Sebastian, that is the strip between U.S. 1 and the Indian River Lagoon.
• Zone C: the Sebastian River area. If your home sits near the St. Sebastian River, check your address on the map.

The state's emergency management office adds one rule worth taping to the fridge: if you live in a mobile home, follow every evacuation order, even if your zone has not been called.

Your evacuation zone is not your flood zone. Evacuation zones are about storm surge and how exposed an area is in a hurricane. FEMA flood zones are about flooding risk for insurance and building rules. The county's maps site shows them as separate layers. Check both.

How to look up your Sebastian address

Option one is the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Know Your Zone map at floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone. Type in your address and it shows your zone. The state labels zones A through F statewide. Zone A is generally the most vulnerable and the first to leave.

Option two is Indian River County's Maps and Applications site. Open the Storm Surge Zones map and search your address. If you are unsure what you are looking at, call Indian River County Emergency Services at 772-226-3900.

No zone at all? The state says people outside an evacuation zone may be able to shelter in place, but only if the house can handle strong wind and heavy rain. It notes that homes built after 2002 generally have hurricane-resilience features, and that the most important thing is a strong outside shell, so wind and debris cannot open up a window, door or garage door.

Shelters in Sebastian

Most public shelters in Indian River County are in schools. The United Way of Indian River County lists these north county shelters in Sebastian:

• Pelican Island Elementary School, 1355 Schumann Drive
• Sebastian Elementary School, 400 County Road 512
• Sebastian River Middle School, 9400 County Road 512
• Sebastian River High School, 9001 90th Avenue

Here is the catch: shelters do not all 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 county's special needs shelter is also in Sebastian, at Treasure Coast Elementary School, 8955 85th Street. It is for people with medical needs, and you must apply ahead of time. Medical staff review each application. Call 772-226-3900 to get one. The county can also help with a ride to a shelter.

The pet-friendly shelter is not in Sebastian. It is at Liberty Magnet School, 6850 81st Street in Vero Beach, run with the Humane Society of Vero Beach. You must live in a mandatory evacuation area, bring a crate and your pet's vaccination records. It is first come, first served. Questions: 772-388-3331, ext. 10.

What to do this week

1. Look up your address on floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone and write your zone letter (or "no zone") inside a kitchen cabinet door.
2. Sign up for county emergency alerts at ircgov.com/emergencyservices.
3. Decide where you would go if your zone is called. A friend or relative outside the zone, or in a stronger house, is usually more comfortable than a shelter.
4. If someone at home depends on oxygen, power or other medical help, call 772-226-3900 about the special needs shelter now, not when the storm is three days out.
5. Pets: put vaccination records in a zip bag with your other papers, and make sure the crate is not buried in the garage.
6. Save these numbers in your phone: City of Sebastian, 772-581-0111 (not staffed 24/7, so leave a message); Indian River County Emergency Services, 772-226-3900; the county's disaster information line, 772-226-3927; the Florida Emergency Information Line, 800-342-3557.
7. Follow the City of Sebastian's Facebook page and its Tropical Weather Information page for city updates during a storm.