Every federal disaster in Sarasota since 1953
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Sarasota County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 64since 1953
- Major disasters
- 39the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 43declarations
- Most recent
- 2024Hurricane Milton
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sarasota County's overall natural hazard risk relatively high, led by hurricane, lightning and tornado. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2024 | Hurricane Milton | Major disaster | DR-4844 |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Hurricane Milton | Major disaster | DR-4834 |
| Oct 8, 2024 | Hurricane Milton | Emergency | EM-3623 |
| Oct 7, 2024 | Hurricane Milton | Emergency | EM-3622 |
| Sep 28, 2024 | Hurricane Helene | Major disaster | DR-4828 |
| Sep 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm Helene | Emergency | EM-3615 |
| Aug 10, 2024 | Hurricane Debby | Major disaster | DR-4806 |
| Aug 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm Debby | Emergency | EM-3605 |
| Aug 31, 2023 | Hurricane Idalia | Major disaster | DR-4734 |
| Aug 28, 2023 | Tropical Storm Idalia | Emergency | EM-3596 |
| Dec 13, 2022 | Hurricane Nicole | Major disaster | DR-4680 |
| Nov 9, 2022 | Seminole Tribe of Florida Tropical Storm Nicole | Emergency | EM-3588 |
| Nov 8, 2022 | Tropical Storm Nicole | Emergency | EM-3587 |
| Sep 30, 2022 | Hurricane Ian - Seminole Tribe of Florida | Major disaster | DR-4675 |
| Sep 29, 2022 | Hurricane Ian | Major disaster | DR-4673 |
| Sep 24, 2022 | Tropical Storm Ian | Emergency | EM-3584 |
| Jul 4, 2021 | Tropical Storm Elsa | Emergency | EM-3561 |
| Nov 11, 2020 | Hurricane Eta | Emergency | EM-3551 |
| May 8, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4545 |
| Mar 25, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4486 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3468 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3432 |
| Aug 31, 2019 | Hurricane Dorian | Emergency | EM-3420 |
| Aug 30, 2019 | Hurricane Dorian | Emergency | EM-3419 |
| Sep 27, 2017 | Hurricane Irma - Seminole Tribe of Florida | Major disaster | DR-4341 |
| Sep 10, 2017 | Hurricane Irma | Major disaster | DR-4337 |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Hurricane Irma | Emergency | EM-3388 |
| Sep 5, 2017 | Hurricane Irma | Emergency | EM-3385 |
| Sep 28, 2016 | Hurricane Hermine | Major disaster | DR-4280 |
| Jul 3, 2012 | Tropical Storm Debby | Major disaster | DR-4068 |
| Aug 24, 2008 | Tropical Storm Fay | Major disaster | DR-1785 |
| Aug 21, 2008 | Tropical Storm Fay | Emergency | EM-3288 |
| Oct 24, 2005 | Hurricane Wilma | Major disaster | DR-1609 |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3220 |
| Sep 26, 2004 | Hurricane Jeanne | Major disaster | DR-1561 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | Hurricane Ivan | Major disaster | DR-1551 |
| Sep 4, 2004 | Hurricane Frances | Major disaster | DR-1545 |
| Aug 13, 2004 | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley | Major disaster | DR-1539 |
| Jul 29, 2003 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1481 |
| Sep 28, 2001 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm Gabrielle | Major disaster | DR-1393 |
| Apr 18, 2001 | Fl - Myakka Complex Fire | Fire management | FM-2358 |
| Feb 5, 2001 | Severe Freeze | Major disaster | DR-1359 |
| May 16, 2000 | Flowers-Myakka Fire Complex | Fire management | FM-2298 |
| Oct 15, 1999 | Tropical Storm Irene - Florida | Emergency | EM-3150 |
| Apr 27, 1999 | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 | Emergency | EM-3139 |
| Apr 23, 1999 | Fl-Fires 04/13/99 | Fire management | FM-2260 |
| Sep 25, 1998 | Hurricane Grorges | Emergency | EM-3131 |
| Jun 18, 1998 | Extreme Fire Hazard | Major disaster | DR-1223 |
| Jan 6, 1998 | Severe Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1195 |
| Oct 15, 1996 | Tropical Storm Josephine | Major disaster | DR-1141 |
| Aug 3, 1995 | Hurricane Erin | Emergency | EM-3116 |
| Mar 13, 1993 | Tornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, Freezing | Major disaster | DR-982 |
| Aug 14, 1992 | Severe Storms & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-952 |
| Jan 15, 1990 | Severe Freeze | Major disaster | DR-851 |
| Jul 7, 1982 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-664 |
| Jan 31, 1977 | Severe Winter Weather | Major disaster | DR-526 |
| Jun 23, 1972 | Tropical Storm Agnes | Major disaster | DR-337 |
| Nov 7, 1968 | Hurricane Gladys | Major disaster | DR-252 |
| Sep 10, 1964 | Hurricane Dora | Major disaster | DR-176 |
| Sep 8, 1964 | Hurricane Cleo | Major disaster | DR-175 |
| Dec 17, 1962 | Abnormally High Tides | Major disaster | DR-141 |
| Sep 12, 1960 | Hurricane Donna | Major disaster | DR-106 |
| Mar 23, 1960 | Severe Weather Conditions | Major disaster | DR-97 |
| Oct 22, 1953 | Flood | Major disaster | DR-12 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Sarasota had?
Since 1953, the federal government has issued 64 disaster or emergency declarations covering Sarasota County, including 39 major disaster declarations. 43 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Sarasota?
Hurricane Milton (Major disaster, declared November 5, 2024).
What kinds of disasters hit Sarasota most often?
By FEMA incident type: hurricane (31), severe storm (7), tropical storm (6) and fire (5).
New to Sarasota? The city profile covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named Sarasota County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.