TAMPA, Fla. — Locations to pick up sandbags are open ahead of Tropical Storm Milton, which became a named storm on Saturday. We will be updating as more locations become available.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., the following two sandbag sites will be open for local residents and business owners who want to fill sandbags to protect their properties.

  • Himes Avenue Complex (4501 S Himes Avenue, Tampa)
  • Al Barnes Park (2902 N 32nd Street, Tampa)

PINELLAS COUNTY

In St. Petersburg, full-service and self-service sandbag operations are open Sunday, Oct. 6 from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. to prep for next week's possible weather impacts. The city says it cannot operate the full-service sites in rain, thunderstorms, or lightning. Sites may close pending the weather outlook.

Self-Service Locations
Dell Homes Park - 2741 22nd St. S
Fossil Park Northern Most Parking Lot - 6875 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St. N
Walter Fuller Soccer Field Parking Lot - 2800 75th St. N

Full-Service Locations
Lake Maggiore Park Shelter Area - 3601 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St. S
Northeast Park East Baseball Field Parking Lot - 955 62nd Ave. Ne
Northwest Swimming Pool Parking Lot Park - 2331 60th St. N

For unincorporated Pinellas County residents only, the following sandbag locations will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 5.

Please note: The parks will be closed to the public during sandbag operation hours. Residents are encouraged to bring their own shovel.

John Chesnut Park, 2200 East Lake Road S., Palm Harbor
Walsingham Park, 12615 102nd Ave, Seminole

Please note that sandbags are only effective in slow-moving water that is no more than 15 inches deep. Residents with sandbags from Hurricane Helene are encouraged to reuse them.

Residents outside of unincorporated Pinellas County should check with each municipality for the latest sandbag site information and to confirm
availability. Learn how to use sandbags and what other alternatives may be available at disaster.pinellas.gov.

In Gulfport, self-service sandbag distribution will begin at Hoyt Field (23rd Avenue and 57th Street South) on Sunday, October 6, 2024, starting at 10:00 AM. There is a 10-bag limit and proof of residency may be required.

Residents with sandbags from Hurricane Helene are encouraged to reuse them. Please note that sandbags are only effective in slow-moving water that is no more than 15 inches deep.

POLK COUNTY

Polk County sandbag sites will be open to residents at the locations listed below Oct. 6 and 7 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Sandbag site locations are:

  • Mulberry/South Lakeland – Loyce E. Harpe Park, 500 W. Carter Road, Mulberry
  • Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland
  • Fort Meade – 1061 NE 9th St., Fort Meade
  • Frostproof – 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof
  • Auburndale – 1701 Holt Road, Auburndale
  • Dundee – 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee
  • Poinciana Park – 5109 Allegheny Road, Kissimmee 34759

A maximum of 10 prefilled sandbags will be provided to each household address to help prevent water intrusion into the home. You will need to bring a driver’s license to show your local address.

Residents living in flood prone areas are encouraged to sandbag their homes. To protect against water damage, follow these simple sandbagging techniques. At the area where water can enter a structure:

  • If not working on concrete, dig a small ditch just deep enough to go below ground level. The ditch should be back far enough from the entrance to allow room to place optional submersible (sump) pumps into the protected area. The edge of the visqueen should be placed in the ditch as a bottom layer.
  • Place the first row of sandbags in ditch, fold visqueen over the top of first row, place a second row of bags on top, fold visqueen back over, place a third row of bags on top, and so on. This creates an "S" pattern with the visqueen.

Depending on the size of the barrier, submersible (sump) pumps can be used. The barrier will not completely stop water from entering the protected area; however, by properly placing bags, visqueen and sump pumps, water, in most cases, can be removed quickly.