With the tropics beginning to heat up, some counties in the Tampa Bay area are making sandbags available just in case.
If you need sandbags, you can pick them up at the following locations:
HERNANDO COUNTY
In preparation for Tropical Storm Laura, a limited supply of sand and sandbags will be available starting Friday, August 21.
Residents came head to Linda Pedersen Park at 6300 Shoal Line Boulevard near Hernando Beach. They will be available from noon to 5 p.m.
Please bring your own shovel as sandbag sites are self-serve only.
There is a limit of 15 sandbags per vehicle.
HIGHLANDS COUNTY
Highlands County staff will start handing out sandbags starting Saturday, August 21 at 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.
REMINDER: Empty bags are being provided. 10 bags per person. Please bring a shovel and a partner to help with filling sandbags at the sand pile locations listed below.
When you arrive at the sandbag locations, stay in your vehicle. Bags will be brought to your car by a county employee.
Sandbags are available at:
- Sebring: Road and Bridge office at 4344 George Blvd.
- Avon Park: Road and Bridge office on East Winthrop Street
- Lake Placid: Road and Bridge office on County Road 621
Sand for sandbags is available at:
- Sebring: South George Boulevard just north of the Emergency Operations Center
- Avon Park: Intersection of County Road 17 East, Old Bombing Range Road and Isabelle Lake Road
- Lake Placid: Intersection of County Road 619, County Road 621 and Highlands Lake Drive
MANATEE COUNTY
Manatee County Public Works will make sand and bags available for the public starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, August 22 at the Rubonia Community Center and the Myakka City Community Center.
The Rubonia Community Center is located at 1309 72nd Street E., Palmetto.
The Myakka City Community Center is located at 10060 Wauchula Road, Myakka City.
Both self-service sandbag locations will be open until 8 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, click here.
PASCO COUNTY
Pasco County has three, self-serve sandbag stations open 24 hours to help protect your property from potential flooding.
Sand and bags are provided, please bring your own shovel:
- Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn): 30908 Warder Road [google.com], San Antonio
- Magnolia Valley Golf Course Clubhouse: 7223 Massachusetts Ave. [google.com], New Port Richey
- Pasco Fire Rescue Station 17: 2951 Seven Springs Blvd. [google.com], New Port Richey
CITY OF GULFPORT
The City of Gulfport will make sandbags available for residents starting Saturday, August 21.
Self-service sandbags will be available at the 49th Street Neighborhood Center, 1617 49th Street South.
The service starts on Saturday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
There is a 10-bag limit and proof of residency may be required.
POLK COUNTY
Sandbags will be provided to Polk County residents at all Roads and Drainage maintenance units and another site in Poinciana from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Aug. 22 and 23.
A maximum of 10 sandbags will be provided to each vehicle to help prevent water intrusion into the home.
Beginning Aug. 22, the following locations will provide sand and sandbags, so bring your shovel and get prepared. Sandbag fill site locations are:
- Mulberry – 900 NE 5th St., Mulberry (863) 519-4734
- Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland (863) 815-6701
- Ft. Meade – 1061 NE 9th St., Fort Meade (863) 285-6588
- Frostproof – 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof (863) 635-7879
- Auburndale – 1701 Holt Road, Auburndale (863) 965-5524
- Dundee – 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee (863) 421-3367
- Poinciana – Association of Poinciana Villages (APV) Public Works facility, 2012 Hemlock Ave., Poinciana