Preparing for Hurricane Helene: Citrus County Schools Open as Shelters

Schools Serving as Shelters and Staff Working Tirelessly to Protect Our Community Ahead of hurricane

As Hurricane Helene approaches, our Citrus County School System is responding with remarkable efficiency and dedication. Several schools have been designated as evacuation shelters, and our facility and administrative teams have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and comfort of our community during this critical time.

Our Crystal River High School, Crystal River Middle School, Crystal River Primary School, and Homosassa Elementary School—located west of Highway 19—have been preparing all day for the potential storm surge. These schools are positioned in vulnerable areas, and we are grateful to our dedicated staff for their efforts to better prepare these schools for the storm ahead.

In addition to these schools, we have two other critical facilities west of Highway 19—the Academy of Environmental Science and the Marine Science Station. Ernie Hopper and his team at the Academy of Environmental Science have been diligently preparing for the storm’s impact. Meanwhile, the Marine Science Station team, led by Supervisor Earnie Olsen, alongside Bryan Brooks, Sheryl Janecek, Tonya Capp Briggs, and Josh O’Leary, has been working hard to ensure the facility is secure. While this team is no stranger to hurricane preparation, Hurricane Helene presents a particularly concerning challenge, given the potential for significant storm surge and flooding.

Four of our other schools in the district have officially opened as evacuation shelters, and they are being staffed around the clock by members of our school administrative teams, food service workers, and other school personnel, all in coordination with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and County Government. These shelters are essential for ensuring that residents have a safe place to stay during the storm. Our Director of Food Services, Roy Pistone, and his team have been working tirelessly to ensure that each shelter is fully stocked with food and supplies to meet the needs of both evacuees and staff.

As our facility teams transform these schools into shelters, they have shown extraordinary resilience and commitment. Once the storm passes, they will begin the difficult process of reversing the conversion, cleaning the shelters, and preparing the schools to reopen for normal operations. This process requires a great deal of coordination, but our teams have proven time and again that they are up to the task.

Our school system is more than just a place of learning—it’s a pillar of strength in times of crisis. Our community is strong, and we will face the storm together, united in our resolve to protect each other and our homes. We ask for prayers for our community, our leaders, and our state as Hurricane Helene draws nearer. Together, we will weather this storm, and in its aftermath, we will rebuild and restore.

In preparation for the storm, we want to remind residents that the following shelters are open now as of Wednesday, September 25, at 2 PM:

General Population Shelters:

• Citrus High School (cafeteria): 600 West Highland Blvd, Inverness, Florida 34452
• Central Ridge Elementary School: 185 West Citrus Springs Blvd, Citrus Springs, Florida 34434

Special Needs Shelters:

• Forest Ridge Elementary School: 2927 N Forest Ridge Blvd, Hernando, FL 34442

Pet-Friendly Shelters:

• Renaissance Center: 3630 West Educational Path, Lecanto, Florida 34461

For further assistance, please contact the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Citizen Information Line at 352-249-2775, open from Wednesday, September 25, 8 AM-10 PM. They will reopen on Thursday, September 26, at 8 AM and remain open until 4 PM.

We are incredibly grateful to all the staff and volunteers who have worked around the clock to prepare our schools, shelters, and resources in anticipation of this storm. God bless our Citrus County, and stay safe as we navigate this challenge together.

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