Shelter To Open At High School, Non-Mandatory Evacuations Issued

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — With a tropical storm warning issued for the area as Tropical Storm Elsa approaches Florida, public safety officials have announced the opening of shelters and additional sandbag locations, and the closure of county buildings Tuesday.

"Now's the time for Manatee County residents to finalize their disaster plan," Public Safety Director Jake Saur said. "We’re expecting sustained tropical winds to our barrier islands and coastal communities. Please expect tornado watches and be careful of strong rip currents at our beaches.”

Manatee County’s Emergency Operations Center is now at a level two activation, the county said in a news release. This is an activation that does not require the response of every branch of emergency support functions.

All Manatee County offices and park facilities will close to the public at noon Tuesday, but county operations will not be suspended.

An emergency shelter will open at Manatee High School Tuesday at 8 a.m. for those who live in mobile homes, low-lying areas or areas prone to flooding. This is a non-mandatory evacuation, and the shelter is pet-friendly, the county said.

Related: Elsa Could Reach Hurricane Strength Before Landfall In Florida

Residents on the Special Needs Registry are currently being contacted to set up arrangements for evacuation to the county’s special needs shelter, which is designated for those who are oxygen or electricity dependent to survive.

Manatee County shelters will conduct temperature checks and ask visitors if they’re displaying any symptoms of COVID-19. Shelters will have increased spacing as demand allows for social distancing, masks are encouraged and will be provided, and if people feel ill, they will be separated into other rooms.

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Beginning Tuesday morning, the Manatee County Public Works Department will provide sandbags at three locations. A self-serve distribution site will open at the Public Works Department Stormwater Facility at 5511 39th Street E. in Bradenton. A full-service distribution site will open at GT Bray Park at 5502 33rd Ave. Drive W. in Bradenton. And a pre-made sandbag distribution site will open in the Manatee Beach parking lot at 4000 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.

Each site will open at 8 a.m. and will continue to operate as long as the weather permits. There’s a limit of 10 sandbags per household, the county said.

Residents should plan to show an ID or Manatee County Utilities Department water bill indicating they are a resident of Manatee County. Visit www.mymanatee.org/sandbags for more information.

All Manatee County Area Transit fixed-route bus and trolley service will be suspended at noon on Tuesday and will resume service at noon on Wednesday. MCAT Handy Bus service on Tuesday will be restricted to riders traveling to and from medical appointments only, the county said.

The Lena Road Landfill will close Tuesday and reopen Wednesday for regular hours or as soon as weather permits.

There will be no garbage or recycling collected on Tuesday in unincorporated Manatee County.

There will be no recycling collected this week. Yard waste and garbage will be collected Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as usual. All collections will return to normal on July 12, the county said.

All cans, carts, and outside lawn and patio furnishings should be secured so they don’t become dangerous projectiles in high winds.

Stay tuned to Patch for updates on Tropical Storm Elsa. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading from iTunes, or by visitingthe Google Play store.