Isaret Jeffers doesn’t have millions of followers. But she has enough to feel like she’s doing something valuable.

Hours before Hurricane Milton hit Florida, Jeffers, a community activist who works with the Hispanic population and farmworkers in Plant City, rushed to post in Spanish on her Facebook account that there was still time to evacuate.

“Hillsborough County: Get out of mobile homes and trailers! Your zone doesn’t matter! Please, there are still families with children who haven’t evacuated!”

In the most critical hours, when official warnings in English and Spanish were shared through traditional channels like text messages, press releases and media — but took longer to reach some Hispanic communities due to power outages or limited access — local leaders and neighbors stepped up, quickly organizing support networks and sharing vital information in Spanish.

Armed with their cell phones, they went live and shared alerts, shelter instructions and real-time preparation advice through neighborhood outreach groups on WhatsApp and platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

For many who only speak Spanish, connecting with local leaders through WhatsApp or Facebook isn’t just about getting timely information. It’s about a sense of belonging and mutual support, which was key for them in dealing with the uncertainty and fear.

Wimauma activist Ana Lamb said that after hurricanes Helene and Milton, reaching out to residents has become more critical than ever.

On Wednesday afternoon, Lamb shared a simple form in Spanish with her followers in one of her 10 WhatsApp groups, asking people where they were staying. She arranged transportation for an elderly woman and her son to leave their home in Ruskin. She also shared Red Cross reports in Spanish and information about donations.

“There is still a lot to do, but this shows that these channels have a bigger impact than traditional ones,” Lamb said. “I think people trust us more because they know us and have confidence in us.”

Other Spanish sources also kept the Hispanic community informed.

Hillsborough County spokesperson Chris Wilkerson said the county provides emergency alerts, news releases, and radio ads in both English and Spanish. Their website and social media can be translated into various languages, and they coordinate with Spanish-language media for interviews before and during storm season. The city of Tampa offers an emergency text messaging service in Spanish. Pinellas, Hernando and Pasco also provide real-time information in Spanish.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics in Hillsborough County account for about 470,000 people, or 30% of the population. Pinellas County has around 105,000 Hispanic residents, making up 11%. In Pasco, 120,000 people, or 19% of the population, are Hispanic.

Carlos Bohorquez, a local radio host, said outreach in Spanish is important. But for him, local activists make a difference by providing community support that official agencies cannot always offer.

“It’s also essential that the information translated into Spanish by the cities and counties is absolutely clear and effective,” Bohorquez said. “Sometimes it’s hard to understand due to poor, automated or incomplete translation.”

A recent Spanish text message sent by the city of Tampa, telling residents where to bring tree limbs and other debris, read: Residentes de Tampa pueden traer escombros vegetativos a dos facilidades.

The translation is mostly clear, but the word “escombros” typically refers to construction debris and the term “vegetativo” refers to bodily functions in a comatose state.

Karen Hernandez, 40, of Plant City, a single mother of six, said she prefers to use her social media platforms, such as Facebook and TikTok, during emergencies to share information she finds useful for her followers and neighbors. Helena and Milton were no exception.

Hernandez has 11,000 followers on Facebook. On Tuesday, she posted in Spanish about the flooding, and blocked streets in her neighborhood.

“Doing this is much faster,” she said. “Most importantly, you stay in close contact with your people.”

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