According to the
National Hurricane Center, Florida is the most vulnerable coastal state to hurricanes.
Mitigation policies have been formulated to reduce mortality and provide emergency
services by evacuating people from the hazard zone. Many of these evacuees,
particularly the elderly or lower income populations, rely on evacuation shelters for
temporary housing. Because of the cost and limited use, evacuation shelters are almost
exclusively dual use shelters where the primary purpose of the facility is for some
other public function (e.g. school, hospital, etc.).