Emergency Information

The City of Cocoa wants to make sure all of our residents and customers are prepared during an emergency situation.  It is always best to plan ahead and make sure you are prepared for any type of emergency situation. The City of Cocoa is here to assist our residents in getting prepared for an emergency and responding in any sort of disaster. Below you will find a wealth of information on you can stay connected and get the resources you and your family need during an emergency situation.

Sources of Information

Brevard County Emergency Management will always be the go to source for the latest information on any emergency situation. If you need emergency assistance dial 9-1-1.
  1. Brevard County Emergency Management Contact Info
  2. City of Cocoa Contact Info
  3. National Weather Service Melbourne
  4. 211 Brevard - Community Information Hotline
  5. Brevard Public Schools
  6. Other Important Phone Numbers and Online Resources
  7. Volunteer Information
Twitter: @BrevardEOC
Facebook: Brevard County Emergency Management on Facebook (Click "Get Notifications" under the "Liked" button to ensure that you see all of the posts)
Text Alerts: Text BrevardEOC to 888777 (normal text messaging rates apply)

Your Pathways to Preparedness 

Brevard County Emergency Management helps you be prepared and stay informed. Visit www.embrevard.com to see their steps to preparedness this storm season including: knowing your risks, building a kit, having a plan, staying informed, and getting involved.

Pathways to Preparedness

Do I live on a barrier island? If you cross a causeway yes and mandatory evacuation may be ordered
Do I live in a flood zone? visit http://gis.brevardcounty.us/flood_map/ to find out.
SAFE RESIDENCE: do not ride out a storm in a mobile or manufactured home.
BUILD A KIT: visit www.embrevard.com to find the basics and additional supplies for a hurricane kit
SAND BAGS: sandbags do not provide a water tight seal but can reduce debris flow
Have a plan: make a plan for your family and property. where will you evacuate, 3 days of supplies
EVACUATE: Mandatory evacuation includes barrier islands, mobile homes and low lying areas
Shelters: shelter locations and opening times will be posted on www.embrevard.com & provided to news
SPECIAL NEEDS: register at https://web.brevardcounty.us/Specialneeds/registration.aspx for shelters
CAUSEWAYs do not close prior to a storm. After they will be closed to be inspected for safety.
POWER: prepare to lose power for several days, be patient and learn more at fpl.com/storm
SCHOOL Closures: stay connected to Brevard Public schools on social to find out about closures
Be patient: government officials are working diligently to return the community back to normal
Debris: do not stack debris near storm drains and follow brevard county on social for info ondebris
Stay informed: receive text alerts, call 2-1-1, follow on social or join Alert Brevard
Get involved: volunteer, talk to your neighbors about preparedness

Hurricane Tip Videos

Other Important Information

Sandbags

Not all homes need sandbags.  Research ahead of time if you live in a low-lying area that is prone to flooding.  Sandbags may be used to protect your home by placing them across doorways to prevent water from entering the building.  Most home improvement stores carry sandbags.  You can purchase them and keep them in your hurricane supply kit and then fill them with sand or dirt available on your property.  Home improvement stores often sell fill dirt as well.  Remember DO NOT fill your bags with sand from the beach.  If you plan ahead, this will save you time when a storm is approaching.  Remember, lines were quite long to get sandbags during Hurricane Matthew. Location and availability of sandbags available prior to a storm will be updated as the information becomes available.  Most local municipalities do not provide sandbags prior to a storm.   
sand piles locations

Barrier Islands and Causeways

Brevard County has several "barrier islands".  Any community east of the Indian River Lagoon is considered a barrier island. Barrier island communities include Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic and Melbourne Beach.  Typically in a storm situation the barrier islands will be the first communities under an evacuation notice as they are more susceptible to high winds causing downed power lines and debris.  If you live on a barrier island, plan to be without utility services during and after a storm.  

Causeways to the barrier islands will remain open prior to a storm but will not be safe to travel during a storm and will be closed after a storm has passed while the Florida Department of Transportation inspects to make sure the bridges are safe to travel on.  So access back to the barrier islands after a storm will be limited to when those causeways are inspected and opened back up.  Make sure you know your evacuation route and make sure to keep updated through Brevard County Emergency Management to find out when the causeways are re-opened.

Public Services


Public services such as Fire/EMS, Public Works, Utilities and FPL may be delayed during a storm for the safety of those employees. Please plan ahead of time. This is why it is so important to heed any evacuation warnings. 

Cocoa Utilities' WFO employee working on 10 inch force main valveWater Utility

Please be prepared to be without certain utilities, including electricity and potable water, after the storm. Interruption in service could last for several days depending on how widespread and how severe the storm damage is.

The barrier island water system may need to be isolated from the main water system to protect the integrity of the entire utility system. If this happens, there will still be water service, but it will be limited to the amount stored in tanks on the barrier island.  Local utility officials will evaluate the speed, direction, and intensity of the forecasted storm to determine if and when an isolation to the system is needed. Once the decision has been made, the message will go out through the multiple communication channels throughout the entire county and will be communicated to the news media.

Barrier islands include all areas east of the Indian River including Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach.  Water main breaks are highly likely on the barrier islands but can happen at any location where the storm hits.  All residents are advised to be prepared for potential loss of water service and for the possible issue of a Precautionary Boil Water Notice once water service is restored. Prepare by storing water ahead of the storm. 

Electric

Electricity outages are likely during a storm.  You can prepare ahead of time by making sure the trees in your yard are free from any power lines prior to storm season.  Visit http://www.fplmaps.com/ to see outages and keep track of when power will be restored.

  • If a hurricane approaches, be prepared to lose power for several days.
  • FPL encourages customers to visit the FPL Storm Center page for tips on how to prepare.
  • Once the storm is over, visit the FPL Power Tracker for updates on power restoration. You can also follow FPL on Facebook (Florida Power & Light) and Twitter (@insideFPL) for updates.
  • You can download the new FPL Mobile App to report or get the latest information on outages. Customers can also get on-the-go, instant and secure access to their accounts. The app is available for download in the iOS App Store and Google Play.
  • Call 1-800-4-OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) immediately to report a dangerous condition such as a downed power line.
Screen shot of the FPL Power Tracker map that is available on their website to track current outages
Waste Management graphic on separating household trash and recycling from storm debris

Post Storm and Debris Cleanup


Please be patient after the storm has passed.  Public service personnel are working hard to get our communities back up and running safely as quickly as possible.  You can help by keeping the roads clear so service personnel can get to areas of concern quickly. 

Make sure to keep your debris piles separated.  Debris pickup will go a lot faster if debris is separated into vegetative and other debris piles.  Debris pick-up will begin as quickly as possible.    

Following a storm, Brevard County Waste will be sending debris trucks around to pick up debris.  They are covering a large portion of the county which can delay pickup.  Waste Management can not pick up any debris that is not in a Waste Management can during the time frame that the county is collecting debris.  If you have smaller piles of debris, you can place them in your waste receptacle to be picked up by Waste Management.   
Graphic depicting debris separation and to place it between the street and sidewalk of your property
Cocoa Public Works employee on a piece of equipment removing tree debris following a storm

Previous Hurricane After Action Reports

  1. Hurricane Irma After Action Report
  2. Hurricane Matthew After Action Report