Okaloosa County Declares State of Emergency, Evacuation Orders, Shelter Information  Ahead of Hurricane Isaias

(Okaloosa County, Florida) – Okaloosa County has declared a local state of emergency as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 7th, 2026, under authority granted by the County’s Emergency Management Ordinance and the Board of County Commissioners ahead of expected local impacts resulting from Hurricane Isaias.

A local state of emergency will be in effect for seven days unless rescinded or extended as allowed by Florida law. The emergency declaration gives the County Administrator and emergency managers the ability to quickly take certain actions to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the community, and provides a path for federal reimbursement of certain expenses.

“We take disaster preparedness and response seriously in Okaloosa County and want to make sure every individual has the resources they need to keep themselves and their family safe,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “I encourage everyone to have multiple ways to stay informed and listen to your emergency officials and trusted news sources.”

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Activation

The EOC is activated at Level 2 as of Wednesday at 12 p.m. and will move toward Level 1 with more manpower and resources beginning Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at 7 a.m.

Evacuations

Tourism: Okaloosa County is asking all out-of-town visitors to evacuate from the forecast area of impacts beginning Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. Please take this advice seriously and heed the warning of this very serious storm threat. Visitors with questions about their reservation should reach out to their related reservation service.

Okaloosa residents (Zones A and B): A mandatory evacuation (Active 12 p.m. Thursday, Oct 8, 2026) has been ordered for residents living in the coastal areas of Zones A and B. This includes residents living on Okaloosa Island, portions of coastal Fort Walton Beach, portions of coastal Destin, portions of coastal Mary Esther and Niceville. Please look up your address at https://myokaloosa.com/gis_ps, click the search button and you will be able to view your zone designation and an option to view a map. You can also view an interactive map with routes and shelter information here. Residents should take this storm seriously and evacuate if located in Zones A and B. Do not wait until the last moment to enter the roadways. Plan early, execute early to mitigate avoidable slowdowns.

Shelters opening

It is highly recommended that other arrangements be made with a friend or relative who lives in a well-constructed home outside of the evacuation area and properly protected to withstand hurricane-force winds.

Two shelters will open on Thursday evening, 6PM,  to receive evacuating residents of Okaloosa County. (More may open at a later time depending on need.)

v  Davidson Middle School 6261 Old Bethel Rd, Crestview, FL 32536 (General Population, Special Needs and Pet-friendly).

-        Animals will be kept onsite but owners will not be able to visit with the animals to avoid injuries

-        Special needs individuals must register ahead of time at  https://okaloosa.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/emergency-preparedness-and-response/special-needs-shelter-spns/

v  The Raider Arena at Northwest Florida State College 100 E College Blvd, Niceville, FL 32578

Sandbags

Sandbags are now available in Okaloosa County. You will find self-service sand and sandbags available at the following locations while supplies last:

·        Stillwell Park, 710 Essex Rd., Ft. Walton Beach, FL. 32547

·        Public Works North, 1759 S Ferdon Blvd., Crestview, FL 32536

Continue to monitor hurricanes.gov for the latest and stock up your hurricane preparedness kit. Sign up for emergency alerts and download the hurricane guide (where you will find a list of hurricane preparedness supplies) at alertokaloosa.com.

Alert Okaloosa

It is important to have multiple ways to receive information during an emergency. Alert Okaloosa is one way residents can receive communications. Sign up to receive emergency notifications via the County’s alert system at AlertOkaloosa.com. You may also sign up by texting "OKALOOSAFL" to 888777.

Closures

Okaloosa Airports (VPS, DTS, CEW)

Due to potential impacts from the oncoming severe weather, all Okaloosa County Airports will close Thursday, October 8th at 9:00 P.M. No aircraft operations will be permitted past 9:00 P.M., and the airport terminal or airport properties will not be available as shelter area.