Before Alma struck Florida, officials issued hurricane warnings from the Florida Keys through Apalachicola. A hurricane watch and gale warning were issued for the state's eastern coastline, extending to Savannah, Georgia. In Key West, residents boarded up houses, and about 1,000 people fled to the region's 11 shelters. The MIM-23 Hawk antiaircraft missiles in the city were moved to higher ground, having been in place since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Further north, officials ordered the evacuation of Captiva Island and Sanibel Island. The causeways to Sanibel Island were closed, isolating residents who had not evacuated. Ten emergency shelters were opened in Fort Myers and two in Naples. Overall, about 100,000 people were advised to seek shelter, though many of them chose to stay in their homes. All Phantom jet fighters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa were transported to Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, while aircraft were also evacuated from Homestead Air Reserve Base. Because Alma was initially forecast to cross the central portion of the state, residents along the Florida panhandle were not adequately prepared for the hurricane. Just hours before the storm moved ashore, officials ordered evacuations for residents in low-lying areas around Apalachicola.