ISAIS IS NOW A HURRICANE


Hurricane Isaias is now in the Gulf and headed for Florida. It is the first hurricane of the 2026 season, and the National Hurricane Center expects it to strengthen further before it reaches the northern Gulf Coast.


Hurricane Isaias in the southwestern Gulf continues to intensify and is forecast to track toward the Central Gulf Coast, with an increasing likelihood of direct impacts to the Florida Panhandle.


Current guidance indicates the system may strengthen to a Category 2 hurricane before approaching the FL/AL border late Friday into early Saturday.


Tropical-storm-force winds could begin as early as Friday morning, followed by threats of storm surge, heavy rainfall of 5–7 inches (locally higher), and tornadoes across the region.


Communities in the Panhandle and Big Bend should treat this storm as a direct threat. Communities along the west coast down to Tampa Bay should be ready for flooding and power outages.


Action items for your community

  • Review your emergency management plan with staff today, including your evacuation triggers, transportation contracts, and receiving-facility agreements.
  • Confirm your generator and fuel supply. Make sure your generator is tested, fuel contracts are confirmed, and you have enough fuel on site to keep temperatures safe if utility power is out for an extended period.
  • Report through AHCA's emergency status system as AHCA requests. If you evacuate, notify AHCA and residents' families or representatives promptly.
  • Check resident supplies, especially medications, oxygen, and any special dietary needs, so every resident has at least several days on hand.
  • Plan for staffing, including ride-out teams and relief shifts, before conditions get worse.
  • Follow your county emergency management office for local evacuation orders and special-needs shelter information.


FSLA is here for you


FSLA staff are in close contact with AHCA and the Division of Emergency Management, and we will share updates as conditions change.


Please stay safe, and thank you for everything you do to protect Florida's seniors.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:


AHCA's Emergency Management Webpage is a helpful resource.


Generators: Please check AHCA’s Generator Status dashboard for your facility’s compliance status. If you believe the information reported for your facility requires correction, please contact the appropriate licensure unit for help.


Need Resources: If your existing resources/contracts fall through, your first call for help should be to your county emergency manager. You can find Florida's County Emergency Manager Website here and contacts here.


Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS): The HFRS is used to update census, available beds, utilities, evacuation, generators, damages (related to the storm) and all other reportable event-related information. Facilities are encouraged to designate a point of contact for HFRS reporting who can report if there are power/internet outages. Facilities are required to report by 10AM daily AND when your situation changes. You can access HFRS here.


Instructional guide for entering event information


If you have difficulty logging into HFRS or need technical assistance, please contact:


Evacuations: AHCA Rule 59A-36.019(4), F.A.C., states that ALFs "must evacuate the premises during or after an emergency if so directed by the county emergency management agency." When the county in which your ALF is located issues an evacuation order, please evacuate as soon as possible. AHCA's rule also requires ALFs to "report the evacuation to the county emergency management agency or designee and to the agency within 6 hours of the evacuation order. If the evacuation takes more than 6 hours, the facility must report when the evacuation is completed." You can monitor counties that have declared emergency evacuations by going to https://www.floridadisaster.org/evacuation-orders/.


AHCA Assisted Living Unit

Phone: (850) 412-4304

E-mail: assistedliving@ahca.myflorida.com


FSLA Contacts

Emergency Preparedness Website

Gail Matillo, President & CEO, 850-496-2562, gmatillo@floridaseniorliving.org

Jason M. Hand, Esq., COO and GC, 850-443-0024, jhand@floridaseniorliving.org

Lou Williams, Chief Marketing Officer, 850-815-6100, lwilliams@floridaseniorliving.org

Ali Wiggins, Chief Revenue Officer, 850-708-4972, awiggins@floridaseniorliving.org

Alanna Russ, Director of Education, 850-853-9122, education@floridaseniorliving.org

Florida Senior Living Association | 2292 Wednesday St Suite 1 | Tallahassee, FL 32308 US

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