TAMPA, Fla. — As the Tampa Bay area prepares for possible impacts from Tropical Storm Nicole, surrounding counties are setting up sandbag locations to help with potential flooding.
Sandbags could be placed in areas of a home where water is most likely to enter, helping minimize potential damage.
Here is a breakdown of specific counties/cities around the Tampa Bay region providing the service.
Hernando County
A sandbag location opened Wednesday, Nov. 9 beginning at 9:00 a.m.
A limited supply of sand and sandbags will be at the following location.
Please bring your own shovel.
Linda Pedersen Park
6300 Shoal Line Blvd.
Spring Hill, FL 34609
Pasco County
As the tropical storm inches closer to the east coast of Florida, leaders from Pasco County are setting up two sandbag locations to help protect residents' property from potential flooding.
Sandbag site locations include:
- Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey
- Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn): 30908 Warder Road, San Antonio
All sites are self-serve and open 24/7 to residents of Pasco County. The actual sandbags are provided, but people will need to bring their own shovels to fill the sand in the bags.
Crews will be there to restore sand daily.
Dade City is also providing sand and bags through noon on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
- Former Dade City Police Department building, 38042 Pasco Avenue, Dade City
Polk County
County leaders are making sandbags available throughout the area only on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at Roadway Maintenance Units. Locations will be open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Sandbag site locations include:
- Mulberry – 900 NE 5th St., Mulberry, (863) 519-4734
- Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland (863) 815-6701
- Fort 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 Park - corner of Lake Hatchineha Road and Marigold Ave.
A maximum of 10 sandbags will be given to each household to help prevent water intrusion into homes.
"Pay attention to the news. Find out what the wind speeds are going to be coming through town," Ryan Taylor, the deputy county manager over infrastructure, urged residents. "It won't be a Category 4 like Ian was but you know, we're saturated as it is right now, we still have some areas that are severely flooded, still retaining that water.
"And another rain event of two to four inches is gonna have some impacts in certain areas, and you know, your areas, prepare for it the best you can and we'll try to give you the tools to help prepare for it."
Sarasota County
The city of North Port is opening a self-serve sandbag location Tuesday to help residents prepare for Tropical Storm Nicole.
The station opened at 1 p.m. Tuesday and is located behind the George Mullen Activity Center, 1602 Kramer Way, at the end of City Center Boulevard.
Bags, sand and shovels will be made available, but people are encouraged to bring their own shuffle to reduce wait times.
There will be a limit of five sandbags for each car, county leaders explain.
The storm is anticipated to become a hurricane before it reaches Florida. In fact, the National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for parts of the eastern coast.
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for much of Florida most at risk of seeing impacts from Tropical Storm Nicole.
The emergency declaration, issued by executive order, is "out of an abundance of caution" to allow the state to better respond to storm response and recovery, the governor said in a statement.