HUDSON, Florida — Following Hurricane Michael, dozens of evacuees from the Florida Panhandle are making a Pasco County shelter their home for now.

The state ordered the Fasano Regional Shelter in Hudson opened in order to take in special needs evacuees. 

On Monday, ambulance after ambulance brought in weary travelers like Bill Maylor, who had nowhere else to go. 

“I live on the 10th floor in Panama City. The building has been condemned. No occupants allowed in,” Maylor said. 

The Pasco County Health Department started prepping the Fasano Regional Shelter on Sunday, lining a room with dozens of cots and supplies.

The shelter is equipped with oxygen tanks and other medical equipment meant to care for evacuees with special health conditions or other special needs. 

“Many of the evacuees haven’t even seen their homes yet," said Pasco Fire Chief Andy Fossa. "Some of the ones who have Alzheimer’s are questioning why they’re here. It’s explained, but they still aren’t grasping it yet. We will have a mental health team coming in to help."

The shelter is usually used for local evacuees. This is a rare time it’s helping a totally different area recover from a storm. 

“Some of them have lost everything. All we’re trying to do is make them as comfortable as we can,” said Greg Crumpton with the Pasco Department of Health. 

Many of these evacuees have already been at different shelters  and are now just hoping for the best.

“It’ll be a pleasure if I can just go to sleep and relax. It’ll be good,” Maylor said. 

The shelter took in 65 evacuees. They will be there for several weeks. More could also come, as well.