St. Pete Sandbag Locations, Tropical Storm Elsa Preparedness Tips

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — As Tropical Storm Elsa is predicted to be in the St. Petersburg area Tuesday into Wednesday, residents should start preparing for possible power outages, strong winds and flooding. Patch has provided tips below to help you prepare for Elsa.

Tropical Storm Preparedness Tips

Don't hoard gas. If an evacuation seems likely, ensure you have a full tank of gas. Fuel responsibly. Do not hoard gasoline you do not need. The pre-storm surge in gasoline demand often leads to temporary fuel outages before the storm. After the storm, be aware that gas stations may be closed or unable to pump gas due to structural damage or power outages. As a result, AAA suggests you begin looking for a refueling option after your tank drops below half full.

A Patch reporter observed local gas stations late Monday morning. The busiest one seemed to be Sam's Club on 34th Street North at 22nd Avenue North, where some cars were turning around to avoid the wait. Four to six cars in line at each pump seemed to be the average. Some Sam's Club members, not expecting a long line, were caught off guard.

"I just came here to get gas, and this long line was here," James Davis told a reporter as he pumped gas in his truck. "I imagine a bunch of folks are starting to get scared. But I got lucky because I didn't have to wait that long. It looks like all this just started happening," he said, as the line of vehicles waiting behind him was growing.

Another resident, Chip K., who filled up at the tank said he's never seen a line like this at Sam's.

Get sandbags. The city of St. Petersburg will distribute sandbags starting Tuesday at 9 a.m. to the following locations:

Northeast Park, 875 62nd Avenue NE (at the Cardinal Drive entrance to Mangrove Bay Golf Course)

James "JC" Turner Fields, 643 22nd Avenue S., St. Petersburg, (on the south side of Bartlett Park); sandbags will be distributed in the parking lot of the fields.

Northwest Pool, 2331 60th Street N., St. Petersburg; sandbags will be distributed in the pool parking lot.

The city offers year-round sandbags at the self-serve sandbag site at 1744 9th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

Stock drinking water. Fill multiple containers with drinking water.

Secure windows and doors. Cover your windows and doors to protect them from flying debris.

For more tropical storm or hurricane preparedness tips, visit AAA.

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• Tropical Storm Warning Issued For Tampa Bay As TS Elsa Nears
• Coast Guard Declares Port Condition Whiskey For Port Of Tampa