Storm preparation in Winter Garden involves two layers of government: the City of Winter Garden and Orange County. This guide covers how residents find out what is happening, how to ask about shelter options, and what to bring if evacuation is needed. For more local preparation resources, see the site's prepare page.
A note on sandbags: the verified information used for this guide does not include sandbag locations, dates or hours. Rather than guess, this guide leaves them out. Residents looking for sandbags should check the city and county sources below and the prepare page for updates.
Sign up for alerts first
The quickest way to learn which shelters are open is to be on the alert lists before a storm forms. Two systems apply to Winter Garden residents.
CodeRED from the City of Winter Garden
The city is direct about this: all residents and businesses should register with the City's CodeRED system. It is the city's emergency notification system, and registering is the step that connects a household or business to it.
The city also asks residents to save a phone number. CodeRED emergency calls come from 866-419-5000. Saving that number in a phone means an incoming emergency call is recognized instead of ignored as an unknown caller. The city's page on the system is the City of Winter Garden CodeRED page.
OCAlert from Orange County
Orange County's storm page lists OCAlert, which sends timely alerts about severe weather and other emergencies by text, email, or phone. Because the county and the city run separate systems, signing up for both gives residents two sources. See the Orange County storm page.
Finding out about shelters
Orange County publishes shelter information on its shelters page. Its storm page also points residents to guidance about shelters. Alerts are the way to learn which ones are open at a given time, so the alert sign-ups above come first.
What to bring to a shelter
Orange County explains which essential items to bring when evacuating to a shelter. The exact list is on the county's storm page, and it is worth reading ahead of time rather than during an evacuation. Checking it early gives a household time to gather items calmly.
A simple routine can help:
- Read the county's list of essential items on its storm page.
- Gather the items in one place.
- Make sure everyone in the household knows where they are kept.
Special Needs Shelters
Some residents need more support during a storm. Orange County runs Special Needs Shelters, and the county's instruction is clear: for registration and information on Special Needs Shelters, call 311.
The county also asks residents with special needs to register at www.ocfl.net/psn, to ensure access to resources and transportation. Registering ahead of time is the step that links a resident to that help. The county's shelters page carries this information.
Households with a family member, neighbor or friend who may need this help can pass along both options: calling 311, and registering online.
A short preparation checklist
- Register with the City of Winter Garden's CodeRED system.
- Save 866-419-5000 in your phone so CodeRED emergency calls are recognized.
- Sign up for OCAlert for text, email, or phone alerts from Orange County.
- Read the county's list of essential items to bring to a shelter.
- If someone in the household has special needs, call 311 or register at www.ocfl.net/psn.
Why do this before a storm
Every step above is easier before a storm than during one. Registrations take little time, a saved phone number costs nothing, and reading a list of essential items is far calmer on an ordinary day. Alerts then do the rest: they are how the city and county reach residents with timely information about severe weather and other emergencies.
Neighbors can help each other too. A resident who has already registered can remind others on the street to do the same, and can mention the county's special needs options to anyone who might benefit. The neighbors page and the quick reference page on this site may be useful for staying connected.
Who to contact
- Orange County Office of Emergency Management: 3-1-1 or 407-836-3111.
- Special Needs Shelter registration and information: call 311.
- Special needs registration online: www.ocfl.net/psn.
- CodeRED questions and registration: the City of Winter Garden, at its CodeRED page.
- CodeRED emergency calls arrive from: 866-419-5000.
Sources
Compiled from the official sources below.