Caught in the Storm: How Florida Prisons Responded to Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton unleashed winds up to 140 miles an hour and catastrophic flooding in Central and Southern Florida. Thousands of people under mandatory evacuation orders fled their homes. The storm’s magnitude brought one hurricane specialist, John Morales, to tears on a local news broadcast. Morales, one of the state’s most well-respected meteorologists, warned viewers that climate change is “becoming an increasing threat.”

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a former police officer, was more blunt. She warned residents, “If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die.”

But Florida’s incarcerated residents have no choice. According to the Appeal’s analysis, more than 28,000 people are locked up in counties where all or part of the municipality sits under a mandatory evacuation order. In advance of the storm, the Appeal reached out to corrections agencies in counties throughout Florida to ask about how they are ensuring the safety of detainees. 

According to the Intercept’s investigation into flood zones and correctional facilities, at least 18,000 people in Florida are in facilities with a “major,” “severe,” or “extreme” flood risk. Despite the risks, state and local officials have not evacuated numerous facilities in some of the state’s most dangerous areas.

Multiple agencies in the hurricane’s projected path confirmed publicly or to the Appeal they have no plans to evacuate. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it is not evacuating the county’s Central Jail, despite the fact that it sits roughly one mile from Tampa Bay — near where the hurricane may make landfall.

“We are confident in the strength of our correctional facilities, and that it will remain above flood level,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson told the Appeal. “Inmates have not been evacuated. The Manatee County Jail is a hurricane-rated, two-story facility built on higher ground.”

Across the bay in Pinellas County, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri publicly stated he will not evacuate his main jail, which sits in Clearwater roughly a mile and a half from the coastline.

The Appeal has identified two facilities for children that are in areas under mandatory evacuation orders — Palmetto Youth Academy and Deep Creek Academy. The state’s Department of Juvenile Justice did not confirm that it plans to evacuate those campuses.

The agency referred the Appeal to the governor’s website, which states: “The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) has finalized storm preparations to ensure the safety and security of staff and youth in our care. This includes fueling all vehicles, moving vehicles in low-lying and flood-prone areas to higher ground, testing and ensuring adequate fuel supplies for generators in the event of loss of power, and ensuring food, medicine, and emergency supplies are stocked and ready.”

Incarcerated people are beholden to officials who determine if they will evacuate, while families on the outside wait to hear if their loved ones are safe. If there’s a power outage, communication can go dark for several days.

One woman, Kim White, told the Appeal she’s grateful her son is at Tomoka Correctional Institution, where the administration typically responds quickly to her questions and concerns. But she says that’s not the practice everywhere. 

While White feels confident her son will be safe during the storm — the prison is not in an evacuation zone — she’s worried about possible overcrowding. She said that in advance of the storm, people at the Tomoka Work Camp were moved inside the main prison, which puts the population at over 1,400 prisoners — more than 180 people over capacity. 

“Why doesn’t Florida Corrections Department of Corrections have safe spots they can move people to?” she said. “We’re too overcrowded, and we don’t have anywhere to move all these people.”

As the storm’s eyewall bore into the state’s Western coastline Wednesday night, counties in the hardest-hit areas suspended some emergency response operations and urged residents to stay indoors. In many cities where people remained caged in jails, such as Clearwater and Palmetto, videos posted to X showed winds ripping through town and floodwaters submerging streets. In Punta Gorda, where the Charlotte County Jail sits, videos showed multiple feet of floodwater swallowing the town. It was unclear how any of the jails had been impacted.

More than 3 million Floridians lost power, according to PowerTracker.us.

Below are responses from correctional agencies across the state.

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Florida Department of Corrections

Evacuation status: According to the FDC website, as of Oct. 9, the agency has relocated more than 5,600 incarcerated people, and “additional evacuations are underway.” The online inmate locator is updated about 24 hours after a person is moved, according to FDC. A complete list of facilities that have been evacuated can be found on the FDC website. 

Response: In response to the Appeal’s questions, the agency referred us to the agency website and sent a statement: “Evacuation determinations are made in the best interest of the public, staff and inmate safety. Inmate locations will be posted on the website approximately 24 hours after relocation, per standard protocol. In the event of additional evacuations, announcements will be made upon completion. There are multiple risk factors considered during the careful decision to evacuate institutions, and projected path of the storm is one of those. Other factors include timing, traffic disruption, the risks of evacuating inmates, and the conditions of facilities being evacuated, among others.”

Additional information for families: As of Oct. 9, visits have been canceled at all state prisons through Oct. 13. To learn about visitation updates, text “FDCVISIT” to 888-777. 

Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

Evacuation status: The Appeal has identified two facilities for children that are in areas under mandatory evacuation orders — Palmetto Youth Academy and Deep Creek Academy. 

Response: On Oct. 9, the agency referred the Appeal to the governor’s website, which states: “The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) has finalized storm preparations to ensure the safety and security of staff and youth in our care. This includes fueling all vehicles, moving vehicles in low-lying and flood-prone areas to higher ground, testing and ensuring adequate fuel supplies for generators in the event of loss of power, and ensuring food, medicine, and emergency supplies are stocked and ready.”

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Evacuation status: The Bureau of Prisons maintains a federal prison complex in Sumter County, which is not under an evacuation order. However, county officials strongly recommended that “residents in mobile homes, RVs or any structures that may not withstand high winds, as well as those in low-lying areas or with special needs, consider evacuation or relocating to a shelter.”

Response: On Oct. 8, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson told the Appeal in an email that the agency would not discuss “specific movement or transfers of incarcerated individuals,” and that each BOP facility has contingency plans for hurricanes and other natural disasters.

“We can further share that as a temporary measure, movement for certain incarcerated individuals has been suspended and accountability procedures are in place. Evacuation plans will be utilized, if necessary. Where warranted, hurricane supplies are on-site and employees are available to ensure coverage throughout the hurricane,” the spokesperson said.

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The county jail is in an area that is under a mandatory evacuation order.

Population: About 600 people

Response: The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the Appeal’s questions about evacuation and general preparedness plans.

Citrus County Detention Center

Evacuation status: Citrus County is under a mandatory evacuation order. 

Population: About 700 people 

Response: The jail is run by the for-profit company CoreCivic. On Oct. 7, a company spokesperson told the Appeal in an email: “CoreCivic’s Emergency Operations Center is following the same process to prepare for the possibility of a major hurricane, like we did with Hurricane Helene. We are keeping a continuous watch on the strength and direction of the storm based on updates from the National Hurricane Center and local weather authorities. Our preparedness efforts include ensuring that each of our facilities have a supply of food and water to provide meals for those in our care and our staff, generators and fuel in the event of a loss of power from the local utilities, and shelter accommodations for employees to maintain staff at each facility. We remain in contact with our local, state, and federal partners regarding the status of each facility and an evacuation plan is in place should one become necessary.”

Collier County Sheriff’s Office 

Evacuation status: The Collier County Naples jail is in an area under a “voluntary precautionary evacuation.” The Collier County Immokalee Jail is in an area not under any evacuation orders.

Population: About 700 people (across both facilities)

Response: The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the Appeal’s questions about evacuation and general preparedness plans.

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The jail is not in an evacuation zone, although other parts of the county are.

Population: About 260 people

Response: On Oct. 9, a spokesperson from the sheriff’s office told the Appeal in an email that evacuations have not occurred. The jail is not located in an evacuation zone.

“An evacuation plan, should it be needed, has been made in conjunction with Flagler County Emergency Management,” the office said. “In the event that an evacuation is necessary, we coordinate with Florida Department of Corrections for appropriate designated facilities to relocate our inmates.”

In the event that the jail loses power, it “has a full-scale generator” that was tested three times this week and topped with diesel fuel. 

“All prescription medications were reviewed and ordered for 30-day supply,” he said. “Additional stock medication and medical supplies were also ordered and received. … Food service ordered an additional food truck delivery and maintains enough food to provide meals through Monday. Service is not expected to be disrupted, and a food truck is scheduled to deliver on Friday. The supplier committed to a Saturday delivery, if necessary.”

If the toilets cannot flush they will “bring in a tanker truck from Flagler County Fire Rescue and hook into the line providing the capacity to flush toilets.”

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The county’s two jails are located in Tampa, one of the state’s largest cities. One of the two — Orient Road Jail — is in an area under a mandatory evacuation order. 

Population: Almost 3,500 people (both facilities) 

Response: On Oct. 7, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office told the Appeal in an email: “While we do not give out potential inmate movements, I can tell you we have emergency plans in place should either of our facilities become compromised due to hurricanes or any other type of emergency.”

However, a spokesperson told local media outlet Florida Politics that they would move detainees to Falkenburg Road Jail, which was not under a mandatory evacuation order.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: Lee County Jail is in an area under a mandatory evacuation order, the Lee County Core/CPU Facility is not.

Population: About 1,600 people (both facilities)

Response: The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the Appeal’s questions about evacuation and general preparedness plans. 

Levy County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The county jail is not in an area that is under a mandatory evacuation order, although other parts of the county are. 

Population: About 170 people

Response: On Oct. 9, Lt. Scott Tummond told the Appeal that, “We’re not evacuating our detention facility. There’s no need to at this moment. We’re not in an area that appears to be that we’re going to be impacted to the severity that we need to evacuate anybody from that facility.” He also said that, “Our emergency operations center is right next door, so if they start running low on any supplies, we can resupply them within minutes.”  

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The Manatee County Central Jail is located in an area of the county under a mandatory evacuation order. 

Population: About 1,100 people

Response: On Oct. 9, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office told the Appeal in an email:

We are confident in the strength of our correctional facilities, and that it will remain above flood level. Inmates have not been evacuated. The Manatee County Jail is a hurricane-rated, two-story facility built on higher ground.

In an abundance of caution, inmates who require medical care or have physical disabilities are being relocated to the secure second level. We have multiple generators for emergency power, and extra staff and EMS are also on-site to assist with any issues. The jail is fully stocked with supplies, and enough food and water for several days. Jail operations are continuing as normal.

If it appears water will reach the ground floor, all inmates and staff will move upstairs. Deputies will be monitoring the situation closely.

In 2021, advocates criticized the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for refusing to evacuate the jail after a toxic wastewater reservoir leak threatened to flood the jail with up to 10 feet of water. At the time, the sheriff told reporters that deputies would move people housed on the first floor of the jail to the second floor. However, the sheriff’s office later told Southerly Magazine that most incarcerated people remained on the first floor. 

Marion County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The Marion County Jail is not under an evacuation order, but those living in mobile homes must evacuate. 

Population: About 1,800 people

Response: The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the Appeal’s questions about evacuation and general preparedness plans.

Pasco County Detention Center

Evacuation status: The county jail is not in an area that is under a mandatory evacuation order, although other parts of the county are. 

Population: About 1,500 people

Response: On Oct. 8, the Pasco County chief correctional officer told the Appeal in an email: “The facility has made necessary staffing adjustments to ensure proper coverage and relief with the expectation that roads may be impassable to incoming members,” she said. “Operations will remain normal until there is a need for reduced movement within the facility due to weather concerns. Corrections has worked with providers to ensure continuity of operations. Inmates scheduled for release on Thursday, October 10, 2024 will be released one day early to ensure they are not being released into storm conditions. Transportation for inmates from the facility to a county shelters are being provided.”

The chief correctional officer also said the jail would provide bottled water.

“In the event of a lockdown, inmates will be provided water pass every one-two hours. Toilets can be flushed utilizing fresh water stock, but inmates would be directed to limit flushing no different than what would occur within the community,” she said. 

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The county jail is in an area under a mandatory evacuation order.  

Population: About 3,100 people

Response: The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the Appeal’s questions about evacuation and general preparedness plans. In a press conference on Tuesday, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said that he would not evacuate the jail.

“With that number of inmates, it’s really not possible, feasible to evacuate people out of there, and it’s unnecessary, because we can go up,” he said. “Everybody will be safe up there.”

St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The county jail is in an area that is under a mandatory evacuation order. 

Population: About 420 people

Response: The Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the Appeal’s questions about evacuation and general preparedness plans. The office told WUSF, West Central Florida’s NPR affiliate, that it had no plans to evacuate.

Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

Evacuation status: The county jail is not in an area that is under a mandatory evacuation order, although other parts of the county are. 

Population:  About 1,000 people

Response: A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office said they were not planning to evacuate any detainees. When asked about their contingency plans if the jail loses running water, the spokesperson said they have 30 days of bottled water on hand and that each person would receive at least 64 ounces per day.