Get Fire Department hurricane passes before you head north
Hurricane passes allow island residents and business owners to get back into Boca Grande after a major storm or evacuation event. Property owners and commercial businesses can obtain reentry passes from the Boca Grande Fire Department in advance of any warnings being issued.
About 1,000 passes were distributed after Hurricane Ian when the island was evacuated, said Fire Chief C.W. Blosser. He estimated that a total of around 11,000 passes are in circulation today.
“The best time to get your pass is when skies are blue and the wind is not blowing,” he said.
After Hurricane Ian there was an influx of people who needed passes, which occupied time that could have been directed toward more urgent matters, he added.
For the residential pass application, homeowners must provide contact information, a photo ID and proof of ownership such as a deed. Commercial applicants need to include the business license number in addition to contact information and a drivers’ license.
Business and property owners are eligible for as many passes as they need to cover employees or housekeepers/caretakers, respectively.
The program started in 2004 after Hurricane Charley, and the older iteration of the passes were rear view mirror hangtags; these are still valid. The current passes are blue residential cards and orange commercial cards that can easily fit in a wallet or card holder, so they are less likely to get misplaced or damaged.
Occasionally, temporary passes will be issued, as was the case after Hurricane Ian when extra help was needed to clear away debris. These temporary passes are the only ones that do expire.
It is important that both residential and commercial passholders keep their contact information up to date in case of an emergency. Staying on the island after a evacuation advisory is not recommended.
Hurricane passes are available from the Boca Grande Fire Department, 360 East Railroad Ave, between 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Fire Department administrative offices will be closed three business days prior to a projected landfall storm.
Applications can be found at bocagrandefire.com/hurricane-tags/. Include a copy of your drivers’ license, proof of residency or ownership, i.e. copy of tax bill, deed, rental agreement, utility bill, etc.
Questions? Call the Boca Grande Fire Dept. at (941) 270-7357
