Sandbags in Central Florida: Where to get them as Hurricane Ian approaches

Residents are being warned to stay vigilant as Hurricane Ian is projected to become a major hurricane setting its sights on Florida. To help get prepared, Central Florida counties will be offering sandbags at the following locations: 

ORANGE COUNTY

On Monday, Sept. 26 and Tuesday, Sept. 27, sandbags will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ward Park & Showalter Field Parking Lot located at 288 Perth Lane, while supplies last. There is a limit of eight sandbags per resident or business owner within the city limits. You'll need to bring  proof of residency such as a driver’s license, valid ID or utility bill statement.

The City of Belle Isle will be hosting a sandbag site at Wallace Field at the intersection of E Wallace Street and Matchett Road in Belle Isle on Monday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. until supplies last. There is a limit of six bags per household.

SEMINOLE COUNTY

  • Sand bas are available in Oviedo on Monday, Sept. 26 and Tuesday, Sept. 27 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Evans Street Public Works Compound located at 1725 Lockwood Blvd. This is a self-service operation and residents are asked to bring gloves and shovels to load. Officials said residents are limited 15 bags per household.

Empty bags and dirt will be available to all residents of Seminole County at: 

  • Boombah Sports Complex at 3450 East Lake Mary Boulevard in Sanford from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. starting on Friday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Sept. 25.

Residents should bring their own shovel and gloves and be prepared to fill and load the bags themselves. Staff is unable to provide assistance. Residents will be allowed up to15 bags per household. 

Available on Sunday, September 25

  • Eastmonte Park at 830 Magnolia Drive (off S Ronald Reagan Blvd) in Altamonte Springs. Sand and bags will be available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Westmonte Recreation Center at 624 Bills Lane (off Spring Oaks Blvd) in Altamonte Springs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Available on Monday, September 26

  • Candyland Sports Complex from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Residents must bring their shovels as this is a self-service operation. Each household is limited to 10 bags. Park rangers are onsite between 3 and 7 p.m. for those who require assistance.

VOLUSIA COUNTY

Sandbags supplies are available until 5 p.m. Monday Sept. 26, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the parking lot near the southeast corner of Orange Avenue and Jean Street in Daytona Beach. 

Sandbags will be available in DeLand until 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26 at Melching Field parking lot at East Hubbard and South Woodland Blvd. This is a self-service location.

Ormond Beach residents can receive up to 10 complimentary fillable bags. Residents will need to bring a shovel and fill/load the bags into their vehicle. 

  • Fire Station 57 at 2628 Hibiscus Drive (open 24 hours)
  • Mango Tree Lake at 901 Mango Tree Drive (open 24 hours)
  • Airpark staging area at 1898 Airpark Road (open 24 hours)
  • Nova Community Center at 440 N Nova Road in Ormond Beach on Monday – Saturday: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Residents should bring their own shovels (and bags outside of staffed hours at Mango Tree Lake). The Mango Tree Lake location will be staffed for sand bag distribution at Mango Tree Lake on Monday, September 26th – Wednesday, September 28th (weather permitting) from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Ten bags will be available per person with proof of Edgewater residency, while supplies last.

New Smyrna Beach will be providing sandbags to residents at the Sports Complex football stadium at 2335 Sunset Dr during the following dates and times:

  • Monday, September 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 27 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

City staff will be onsite to provide either 10 pre-filled sandbags in the football stadium’s north vehicle loop or 15 fillable bags at a sand pile in the field south of the main entrance. Proof of residency (e.g., photo ID with New Smyrna Beach address) is required. Residents opting to fill their own bags must bring their own shovel.

BREVARD COUNTY

  • Mitchell Ellington Park in Merritt Island
  • Wickham Park in Melbourne
  • Eastern Florida State College in Palm Bay
  • Chain of Lakes in Titusville

These sandbag locations continue through Monday in north, central, and south Brevard. The sites are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a limit of 10 sandbags per vehicle.

Sandbags are also available on Monday, Sept. 26, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the City of Titusville Public Works Facility located at 385 N Singleton Avenue in Titusville. Residents will received 10 sandbags that they will need to fill themselves.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

Osceola County residents may fill and make sandbags at Osceola Heritage Park beginning on Sunday, September 25, 2022. 

  • Osceola Heritage Park – 1211 Shakerag Road, Kissimmee FL 34744

The site will be open from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. on Monday. 

Supplies will be provided including bags and sand. Residents are allowed 25 sandbags per household and will need to bring their own shovel or filling tool. Supplies are limited, and sandbags will be available for filling on a first-come, first-served basis.

POLK COUNTY

Polk County is making sandbags available throughout the county at Roadway Maintenance Units beginning Sunday, September 25. Locations below will be open from 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. each day, until weather conditions make it unsafe to be outside.

Sandbag site locations are:

  • Mulberry – 900 NE 5th St., Mulberry, (863) 519-4734
  • Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland (863) 815-6701
  • Fort Meade – 1061 NE 9th St., Fort Meade (863) 285-6588
  • Frostproof – 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof (863) 635-7879
  • Auburndale – 1701 Holt Road, Auburndale (863) 965-5524
  • Dundee – 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee, (863) 421-3367
  • Poinciana Park - corner of Lake Hatchineha Road and Marigold Ave.

 A maximum of 10 sandbags will be provided to each household.

LAKE COUNTY

Sandbags will be made available at 5 Lake County locations starting September 25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents must bring their own shovels and are limited to 10 bags of sand per household. No tools will be provided at sand deployment sites and residents are responsible for filling their own bags. Sandbags will only be offered before the storm – no sandbags will be dispensed during storm conditions.

  • Astor Area at 23023 State Road 40, Astor
  • East Lake Sports and Community Complex at 24809 Wallick Road, Sorrento
  • P.E.A.R. Park at 26701 US Hwy 27, Leesburg
  • North Lake Regional Park at 40730 Roger Giles Road, Umatilla
  • Minneola Athletic Complex at 1300 Fosgate Road, Minneola
  • West Park Ballfields at 658 12th Street (This site is self-service and residents must bring their own shovels and fill their own bags.)

SUMTER COUNTY

Sandbags will be available for Sumter County residents at the Lake Panasoffkee Regional Recreation Park located at 1589 CR 459, Lake Panasoffkee starting Monday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. and through regular working hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice.T To obtain sand and sandbags, residents will need to provide proof of residence within Sumter County and should bring a shovel if they have one. Residents pick up sandbags, fill them, and place them in their vehicles. There is a ten sandbag limit per vehicle.

FLAGLER COUNTY

Residents are being provided sandbags (limit 10 sandbags per household) at the following locations Monday:

Monday, Sept. 26:

  • Flagler Technical College – 5633 N. Oceanshore Blvd., The Hammock – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Fire Station 71 – 89 County Road 2006 West, Bunnell – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Palm Coast Public Works Yard, 1 Wellfield Grade, off U.S. 1 and just north of Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast – starting at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until sand runs out.
  • Daytona State College – 3000 Palm Coast Parkway SE, Palm Coast – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until sand runs out.
  • Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church – 915 N. Central Ave., Flagler Beach – from 2 to 6 p.m. (For Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach residents only.)

This story will be updated with more sandbag locations in other counties as information is released.

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