Sarasota-Manatee residents take refuge in storm shelters ahead of Hurricane Ian

Steven Walker, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·5 min read

Jerry Pirkl had a rare joy despite the circumstances.

The 84-year-old retired Braden River resident relies on oxygen to breathe. He was redirected from his original shelter to one at Nolan Middle School designated for special medical needs. Pirkl had never evacuated from a hurricane in his 40 years in Florida, but amid the impending Hurricane Ian, he was still cracking jokes with the nursing staff as if he'd known them his whole life.

“You know, I wouldn't be too upset if it's not there” after the storm, Pirkl said about his trailer home.

Ahead of Hurricane Ian, Sarasota and Manatee counties opened several of their schools as storm shelter locations. Thousands of county residents migrated to the locations as the county governments ordered evacuations from vulnerable homes.

In Sarasota, there were about 2,600 people in shelters as of Wednesday morning and the county can handle about 26,000, according to a county spokesperson. In Manatee, there were close to 5,000 people in shelters as of Wednesday morning and the county can handle about 27,000, a county official said. Manatee County stopped taking evacuees at shelters as of 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Where are Sarasota-Manatee hurricane shelters? What's my Sarasota-Manatee evacuation zone?

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At the Nolan Middle location, Department of Health officials helped those who needed additional medical assistance at hurricane shelters. Chris Tittel, a spokesperson for the health department working at the shelter, said the facility was capable of caring for more than 600 patients with about 120 people staffed to work. The shelter operates 24/7, and can last up to six days without needing resupply from the emergency operations center.

At about noon Tuesday, the facility only had about five patients, including Pirkl.

A former stagehand at the Van Wezel, Pirkl said he knew he was bound to evacuate since late last week. His trailer home falls under the lowest level for evacuation, and he said he'd been keeping up with the forecasts.

As the forecasts became more grim, he began packing. He said he's worried that some people may try and weather the storm despite Ian's strength.

"There’s gonna be people dying because they think they’re smarter than the weatherman," he said.

Like Pirkl, others did heed the warnings from public officials and weather experts. Closer to the coast at Manatee High School, several people came with the Salvation Army bus to seek shelter.

A bus from Salvation Army brought several people to the Manatee High shelter an hour after it opened at 8 a.m.
A bus from Salvation Army brought several people to the Manatee High shelter an hour after it opened at 8 a.m.

Troy Perry, 41 from Bradenton, came off the bus with a towel over his shoulders, a black backpack on his back and a grey suitcase pulled behind him. It was his first time using a storm shelter, but he wasn't nervous, he said.

“I’m calm,” Perry said. “We’ll make do, hopefully.”

One Bradenton mother came with Salvation Army and brought her two kids. Hannah D said she usually rides out hurricanes at home, but circumstances were different this time and they could not ignore the evacuation order.

She wasn't worried though. Living in Florida her whole life, she said she's used to hurricanes and they don't scare her.

"I've been doing this my whole life," she said. "It is what it is."

Hannah D., a lifelong Bradenton resident, usually rides out the storms. This time, however, the evacuation order prompted her to bring her two kids to the Manatee High shelter. She’s not worried, just happy to be safe. “I’ve been doing this my whole life," she said. “It is what it is.”
Hannah D., a lifelong Bradenton resident, usually rides out the storms. This time, however, the evacuation order prompted her to bring her two kids to the Manatee High shelter. She’s not worried, just happy to be safe. “I’ve been doing this my whole life," she said. “It is what it is.”

Farther south in Sarasota County, about 10 evacuees filled Southside Elementary School. The residents took the upstairs classrooms indoors, and individuals were split into rooms by gender.

Nicholas Goodpaster, 37, said he's unemployed and homeless. A Sarasota native, he said it's the first time he’s sought a storm shelter from a hurricane.

He said the facility seemed very safe, and he was feeling calm ahead of the storm.

Nicholas Goodpaster, 37, took refuge at Southside Elementary in Sarasota. He’s homeless, and it’s the first time he’s sought hurricane shelter. He said the facility seems very safe and he’s feeling calm ahead of the storm.
Nicholas Goodpaster, 37, took refuge at Southside Elementary in Sarasota. He’s homeless, and it’s the first time he’s sought hurricane shelter. He said the facility seems very safe and he’s feeling calm ahead of the storm.

Storm Shelter Information

Below are the schools in Sarasota and Manatee Counties open for use as shelters.

Sarasota County

Atwater Elementary School – 4701 Huntsville Ave, North Port, FL 34288

Booker High School – 3201 N Orange Ave, Sarasota, FL 34234

Brookside Middle School – 3636 S Shade Ave, Sarasota, FL 34239

Fruitville Elementary School – 601 Honore Ave, Sarasota, FL 34232

Gulf Gate Elementary School – 6500 S Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL 34231

Heron Creek Middle School – 6501 W Price Blvd, North Port, FL 34291

North Port High School – 6400 W Price Blvd, North Port, FL 34291

Phillippi Shores Elementary School – 4747 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231

Riverview High School – 1 Ram Way, Sarasota, FL 34231

Southside Elementary School – 1901 Webber St, Sarasota, FL 34239

Taylor Ranch Elementary School – 2500 Taylor Ranch Trail, Venice, FL 34293

Woodland Middle School – 2700 Panacea Blvd, North Port, FL 34289

Manatee County

Nolan Middle School (Special Needs) - 6615 Greenbrook Blvd, Bradenton, FL 34202

Braden River High School (Pet Friendly) - 6545 State Road 70 E, Bradenton, FL 34203

Manatee High School (Pet Friendly) - 902 33rd St Ct W, Bradenton, FL 34205

Mills Elementary School (Pet Friendly) - 7200 69th St E, Palmetto, FL 34221

Bayshore Elementary School -  6120 26th St W, Bradenton, FL 34207

Freedom Elementary School - 9515 FL-64, Bradenton, FL 34212

Gullett Elementary School - 12125 44th Ave E, Bradenton, FL 34211

Harvey Elementary School - 8610 115th Ave E, Parrish, FL 34219

Lee Middle School - 4000 53rd Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34210

Myakka Elementary School - 37205 Manatee Ave, Myakka City, FL 34251

Miller Elementary School - 601 43rd St W, Bradenton, FL 34209

McNeal Elementary School - 6325 Lorraine Rd, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

Rogers Gardens Elementary School - 515 13th Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205

Williams Elementary School - 3404 Fort Hamer Rd, Parrish, FL 34219

Willis Elementary School - 14705 The Masters Ave, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hurricane Ian: Inside Sarasota and Manatee County storm shelters