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Sarasota Special Needs Residents Still In Shelter After Irma

Sarasota County Government Facebook

All of Sarasota's emergency shelters have been closed down after Hurricane Irma except one.

The county's Chief of Emergency Management Ed McCrane says as of Monday afternoon, there were about 30 residents with special needs still staying in one shelter.

“As power comes on, we’re able to transport them to homes so they can get back in their home,” he said. “But we want to make sure they have power before we do that.”

The county used schools for shelters during the storm. Since schools are closed for the week, McCrane expects they can continue hosting residents at the special needs shelter until Saturday.

If anyone still doesn't have power by then, the county will find another facility.

I cover health care for WUSF and the statewide journalism collaborative Health News Florida. I’m passionate about highlighting community efforts to improve the quality of care in our state and make it more accessible to all Floridians. I’m also committed to holding those in power accountable when they fail to prioritize the health needs of the people they serve.
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