Evacuation Planning

Refusing a mandatory evacuation order in Sarasota constitutes a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 50 days in county jail and a $500 fine. Beyond the hassles of a personal arrest and the personal risk you take, refusing to evacuate will increase the to public safety personnel who must attempt to rescue you if you if you later call for assistance.

If you disregard your own safety, please don’t place others in harm due to your inaction. Learn and follow the guidance our police and fire fighters give based on experience.

Evacuation Level
You should determine your Evacuation Level, A–E from
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this map, shown below. In a hurricane like Milton, a direct hit on Sarasota, count on mandatory evacuation being called for levels A, B and C. All islands and keys are “A” level. Although right on the edge, Mentone Court is in the green (Level D) which wasn’t evacuated even during Milton. Clearly, living in any condo within 2/3 blocks of the coast will cause almost certain mandatory evacuation in a severe storm (with surge) as shown by the red shaded areas.
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Strategy: Opt for downtown access over waterfront views why you buy. If you must have water views, check for impact glass, if it is missing then negotiate the high cost of impact windows and doors into your purchase offer.

Avoid buying in evacuation areas A, B and if possible C; i.e. all the high rent districts along the water front. If buying, check if the HOA has Building insurance and what it covers. Run a trial on-line insurance application for home owner’s insurance, and for flood insurance if on the first floor to get an idea of costs before you buy.

Don’t think that just because you bought a $20 million condo on a high floor on exclusive 22-acre Golden Gate Point you won’t have to evacuate. While your building is like impervious to a cat. 5 hurricane with impact windows throughout, the risk is also to the ambulance EMT’s who have to drive to you if you have a heart attack.

So just because your risk is low, doesn’t mean your building is excluded if and when your is called to evacuate. And the most expensive and exclusive water front complexes, like Golden Gate Point (shown below sticking out on all sides into the bay), are all in zone A and will be called first in any disaster readiness plan.
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Photo from Golden Gate Point Real Estate website at DowntownSarasota.com
What We Did: We bought in Mentone Court which is in zone D, the least likely and last area to be evacuated in severe weather in the downtown region.

We discuss the new Milestone Inspection law in the next section. It’s an expensive disaster for many folks buying condos.
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