Largo resident Nancy Jones doesn’t live in a flood or evacuation zone, but she wanted to pick up free sandbags in Pinellas County at the beginning of hurricane season.
“I don’t have any fear of massive flooding, but when it rains really bad and it’s blowing it, it comes under my doors,” Jones said.
She was one of many Pinellas residents who picked up their 10 free sandbags at the giveaway event Friday.
Pinellas emergency response officer Andrea Moreira said getting free sandbags early can help you prepare before a storm is on the radar.
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“It’s better to prepare now than wait until the last minute when everything gets crazy and we have the lines of five hours,” Moreira said.
Rick Townsley of Redington Shores also picked up sandbags.
“We’re getting ready for any potential hurricanes,” Townsley said. “We like to be proactive.”
The county will pass out sandbags if a storm is heading toward the Tampa Bay area, but officials are hosting giveaways now to let proactive residents get what they need.
How to use sandbags effectively
As long as they are clean, sandbags can be stored in cool, dry spaces until they are used.
Sandbags are an effective barrier against slow-moving floodwater less than 15 inches deep. The bags should be filled about halfway and tied at the top to give the sand room to move when laid flat.
Residents should line doorways with a plastic sheet before staggering the sandbags. A traditional door needs about 10 sandbags, meaning residents may need to go to more than one event to protect their home if they have multiple doors.
Officials said residents should not expect to get enough sandbags at last-minute events, so they should have a plan to protect their homes.
There are some reusable alternatives to sandbags, including flood gates and water-activated dams, both of which can be found at home improvement stores or online.
After a storm, used sandbags should be brought to the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex and not be put in regular trash or yard waste.
Floodwaters may be contaminated with sewage, lawn chemicals or other hazardous materials, so residents should use gloves and masks when cleaning up used sandbags.
Where you can get sandbags
Pinellas will host self-serve sandbag events whenever there is a storm forecast to hit the area. These events will close two days before the storm’s landfall, and officials said lines for pre-storm events can be long, which is why it is so important to get sandbags early.
When there is not a storm coming, sandbags are available throughout the year at St. Petersburg’s Pavement and Traffic Operations Building on weekdays and the second Saturday of each month.
Clearwater, Dunedin, Pinellas Park, Indian Rocks Beach, St, Pete Beach and Belleair also pass out sandbags before storms.
