FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Hurricane Ian Update: Wednesday, September 28

FDC announces preparation steps and evacuations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla – The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is taking steps to ensure public safety and make sure all individuals entrusted to our custody are safe and secure as Florida responds to Hurricane Ian.

Public safety, and the safety of staff and inmates under Department supervision are the highest priorities for the agency. FDC’s emergency operations center (EOC) is operating 24-hours a day and keeping in constant contact with the state EOC and every facility statewide.

Food and water supplies:

Food and water inventories have been evaluated at each facility and additional supplies have been ordered for facilities in the path of the storm.

• Bagged meals may be provided when regular food service operations through the institutional kitchens are interrupted (power outages, weather prevents inmates from leaving the dorms, etc.).
• If normal drinking water supplies are impacted, ample potable water is provided.

Fuel and power:

Fuel supplies at institutions have been checked in anticipation of generator use. All facilities have a generator in the event commercial power is lost.

• Additional generators and portable light towers have been delivered to facilities that may be impacted.
• Fuel supply at every institution is evaluated daily.

Staffing:

All correctional officers and institutional staff work throughout the duration of the storm.

• Staff from non-impacted regions will be deployed to provide additional support after the storm passes, as needed.
• Maintenance teams from other regions have been staged to deploy after the storm.

Evacuations:

Evacuation determinations are made in the best interest of the public, staff and inmate safety. Multiple satellite facilities, community work release centers and work camps were evacuated in an abundance of caution. Inmates were relocated to larger main units (parent facilities), better equipped to weather the storm.

Approximately, 2,500 inmates were evacuated or relocated to facilities better equipped to weather the impacts of the storm. The following facilities have been evacuated:

• Bradenton Bridge
• Bridges of Jax
• Bridges of Lake City
• Bridges of Santa Fe
• Ft. Pierce CRC
• Hernando CI
• Jax Bridges
• Lancaster Work Camp
• Largo Road Prison
• Miami North CRC
• Opa Locka CRC
• Orlando CRC
• Reality House
• Shisha House
• St. Pete CRC
• Suncoast CRC
• Tallahassee CRC
• Tomoka CRC
• Tomoka Work Camp
• TTH Bartow
• TTH of Dinsmore
• TTH Tarpon Springs
• Turning Point

Updated to include:

• Bridges of Cocoa
• Sumter WC

In the event of additional evacuations, announcements will only be made upon completion. Inmate locations are updated on the website approximately 24-hours after relocation, per standard protocol.

More information:

Individuals are encouraged to visit the Department website or social media channels prior to contacting individual institutions. Frequent updates regarding visitation and office closures will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and www.FDC.MyFlorida.com. For text message alerts, text “FDCVisit” to 888777 for information.

Community Corrections/Probation:
Offenders on community supervision will be given specific instructions from their probation officers in the event evacuations are deemed necessary or if the probation office closes during normal reporting hours. Call centers have been established to ensure offenders can remain in contact with staff. More information can be found in the FDC Newsroom: Hurricane Ian Office Closures: Wednesday, September 28. For text message alerts, text “FDCProbation” to 888777 for information.