Sandbags Available in Pinellas County

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Pinellas County residents who want to batten down the hatches ahead of anticipated stormy weather in the week ahead are getting some help. The county has announced plans to open three sandbag locations.

“Pinellas County is expected to experience 5 to 7 inches of rain through Friday morning,” the county announced in an email to media.

That rain is expected to come courtesy of a low pressure system getting ready to move into the Gulf of Mexico. The storm’s potential for developing further had been set at 60 percent by the National Hurricane Center on Sunday morning. Its eventual track remains uncertain, but its potential to dump water on the region is less so.

See also: Hurricane Gaston Returns; 3 Disturbances Under Watch

To help residents prepare, the county’s sandbag locations will open at noon on Sunday and will remain open on Monday. Residents can pick up sandbag materials at the following sites:

• John Chesnut Sr. Park, 2200 East Lake Road in Palm Harbor
• Lealman Community Park, 3890 55th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg
• Taylor Park, 1100 Eighth Ave. S.W. in Largo

Residents are limited to 20 sandbags per person and they must fill their own sandbags. The county said all materials and shovels will be provided. The locations will remain open during daylight hours.

The county reminds that sandbags are only useful for freshwater flooding concerns and cannot help if storm surge becomes an issue.

“Residents in non-evacuation zones who are prone to flooding from rainfall are encouraged to utilize this opportunity to prepare,” the county’s email said. “Residents in evacuation zones should be checking their hurricane plans and kits and getting them ready to evacuate in the event this developing system requires additional action, such as evacuations, by local officials.”

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation, read these related Patch stories:

• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• 2016 Hurricane Names: Is Yours On the List?
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

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