St. Johns County to give away 12,000 sandbags in prep for hurricanes

As the National Hurricane Center is monitoring a tropical disturbance brewing off the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas, it’s a reminder that hurricane season is about to move into high gear and St. Johns County is helping its residents to get even more prepared.

The Northeast Florida county will distribute 12,000 sandbags for free Wednesday. The giveaway will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at about a half dozen locations throughout the county. Of course, sandbags are the key to preventing flood leakage around buildings inundated by rising waters caused by hurricanes.

While the sandbag giveaway was set for a while, the date of the event is even more prescient as forecasters keep an eye on the current disturbance. It’s not known yet how much more development the tropical system will see, but it’s likely to have some impact on Florida heading into the end of this week, according to the current National Hurricane Center forecast cone.

St. Johns County Emergency Management (SJCEM) officials are advising residents to make sure they know their residential relevance to proposed hurricane evacuation zones so they can decide to pick up sandbags.

“The most important thing you can do today is find out if you’re in an evacuation zone,” SJCEM Deputy Director Kelly Wilson said

“You can go to our website, www.sjcemergencymanagement.com. You’ll see a tool called ‘My Evacuation Zone.’ Enter your St. Johns County address and it will identify what Evacuation Zone, if any, you are in. Evacuation Zones are identified as zones A through F. If you’re in an evacuation zone, you will want to listen in case your zone is named when a storm is approaching. Today is the day to find out if you live in a zone, and if you do, make a plan now so that you are prepared when a storm is approaching.”

Even if the current tropical system pans out to be minimal, August and September are usually the most raucous months in hurricane season which lasts through November. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials have predicted there will be at least 17 named storms in the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season this year.

St. Johns County sandbag distribution points Wednesday will involve:

— Mills Field, 1805 Racetrack Road, St. Johns.

— Palm Valley Bridge, Under the bridge on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway.

— North Beach Park, 3721 Coastal Highway, Vilano Beach.

— Solomon Calhoun Community Center, 1300 Duval St., St. Augustine.

— Johns County Equestrian Center, 8200 Smith Rd.