APPLICATION PERIOD FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT’S HURRICANE BUSINESS PLACARD EARLY REENTRY PROGRAM OPEN THROUGH MAY 30

MONROE COUNTY, FL – The application period for Monroe County Emergency Management’s 2025 Business Placard Early Reentry Program is open through Friday, May 30, at 5 p.m. There will be no exceptions after this time to apply for the 2025 business placard. The program allows essential businesses and nonprofits based in Monroe County timely access to the Florida Keys to assist in restoring community lifelines more quickly and efficiently after a hurricane.

Placards are only valid in the year they are issued. There is only one application form to fill out each year. Do not apply until you have read and compiled the required documentation at www.monroecountyem.com/placardprogram. Applications will be reviewed within 21 working days. Placards will be available to pick up from Emergency Management before the start of hurricane season.

Each registered business is allowed to bring in only its essential personnel; it does not include friends and family of those workers. Entering the county under a State of Emergency using a placard grants access to an area that has not been deemed safe. Basic life support resources may not be available after a major event; those entering with a placard must be self-sufficient for 14 days with shelter, food, and water.

“Disaster response takes the effort of an entire community,” said Emergency Management Director Shannon Weiner. “Sharing your business’s skills and resources when needed most contributes to a swift recovery for all.”

The Business Placard Early Reentry Program started after Hurricane Irma in 2017 and is for private-sector businesses that can supply critical services and materials for emergency responders. The applicant’s business is responsible for providing all necessities for their employees who are allowed early reentry into the county. Applicants must detail how their business is prepared to support their team when these resources are inaccessible. The focus is not on gaining early access but on how the business can assist first responders in recovery.

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Residents who wish to obtain or renew a Monroe County Early Reentry Placard for 2025 may do so through the Monroe County Emergency Reserve Corps at www.mercorps.org. Hurricane recovery courses are required for residents to receive the placard.

Reentry windshield stickers for residents can be picked up at Monroe County Tax Collector offices throughout the Florida Keys with proof of residency and vehicle registration. For more information and locations to obtain stickers, visit www.monroecountyem.com/reentrystickers.

Hurricane season begins June 1. Be prepared.

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