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SMH's Standard Hurricane Response Plan

Hurricane season is June 1 through Nov. 30.

Sarasota Memorial continually monitors and prepares for weather emergencies. The hospital's Hurricane Response Plan provides comprehensive information for an effective and safe response to hurricanes.

SMH employees should call the Employee Hotline, 941-917-8799 (Sarasota campus) or  941-261-8799 (Venice Campus) for updates relating to hospital operations before, during and after a storm. Once a Hurricane Watch is instituted for Sarasota County, information regarding department and facility closures and other issues will be continuously updated on the hotline. The Employee Hotline is the best source of updated information for employees.

Updates regarding hospital services will be shared with the community via this website (smh.com/hurricane), Sarasota Memorial social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), local news media and other external communications channels.

SMH Employees 

All employees are encouraged to review the hospital Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that can be found on the internal PULSE site and to discuss with their supervisors what their role and responsibilities would be.

Members of Labor Pool (clinical & non-clinical) should familiarize themselves with the Labor Pool phone number and Labor Pool location.

Members of Hurricane Teams: Response (A) Team, Recovery (B) Team and Pre-Team members should familiarize themselves with their team roles and responsibilities within the Hurricane Response Plan. 

Sheltering Medically Dependent Residents  

Sarasota Memorial is an acute-care hospital and is not a community hurricane shelter.

During critical emergency situations, Sarasota Memorial serves as a medical shelter for patients, and based on available capacity, for certain residents with qualifying medical needs who have pre-registered with Sarasota County as Medically Dependent People (MDPs). Sarasota County arranges shelter transportation and assignments for MDPs. If local evacuations are necessary, SMH may provide medical shelter for assigned MDPs who have been determined to require a hospital setting. Sarasota County has other assigned shelter locations for people with medical needs who do not require a hospital setting.

Residents must pre-register with the county as MDPs prior to a hurricane or tropical storm should call Sarasota County’s Call Center at 941-861-5000 or click here