Central Florida sandbag locations open as Tropical Storm Erika looms

DeLand, Fla. – Emergency crews across Central Florida aren't waiting to see where Erika heads next, they are urging families to prepare.

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In Volusia County, crews have made sandbag filling locations available to help families prepare for soaking rain.

As the possible threat of Erika looms, Dave Houser was getting to work.

"Hoping she doesn't come our way, but if she does, do a little preparation for it," Houser said.

Houser was filing up 15 bags of sand to keep his DeLand home from flooding. Living here for 10 years, he's done this before.

"We didn't know what to expect, so we come out and did the same thing but it kind of blew over that year," recalled Houser.

This year, he has seen what Erika can do and has done, drenching in Dominica. Houser's daughter works at a school, she's in limbo.

The Volusia County School District said it would decide about school closures by Sunday afternoon.

In Lake County, by Friday afternoon, schools would find out if they'd be used as shelters. Seminole, Osceola, Flagler, Orange and Brevard County School representatives said they are monitoring Erika. Local 6 is still waiting to hear back from Marion County.

In the meantime, Houser said he is "stocking up on the essentials, water, perishables, food that we can eat right there."

A list of sandbag locations, county-by-county, is available below.

VOLUSIA COUNTY:

The Public Works Department will provide free sand and bags to county residents from 7 a.m. to dusk. Residents are asked to bring their own shovels and fill and transport the bags themselves.

• 530 N. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach
  
• 455 Walker St., Holly Hill
  
• 2560 W. State Road 44, DeLand
  
• 200 State Road 415, Osteen
  
• Waggin' Trail Dog Park, 1201 South Leavitt Ave, Orange City. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Orange City Public Works will be on-site to assist residents if needed.
  
• City of New Smyrna Beach: New Smyrna Beach Public Works Department, 124 Industrial Park Avenue.  
• City of DeBary: Town Hall parking lot, 12 Colomba Road. Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• City of Daytona Beach: 950 Bellevue Ave., Daytona Beach. Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• City of Deltona: Festival Park, 191 Howland Blvd., from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday.
• City of Deltona: Deltona City Hall, 2345 Providence Blvd. 8:30 a.m. to noon
• City of Edgewater: Rotary Park (W Park Ave. at Carol Ann Dr.
  
• Veterans Park (Indian River Blvd at the river)
  
• Old Landfill Site on S. Air Park Rd.
  
• Lot north of Fire Station #57 (2616 Hibiscus Drive) Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovel. 

ORANGE COUNTY:

Orange County Public Works will distribute sandbags at all eight Maintenance Unit locations on Friday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The locations are:

• Apopka Maintenance Unit, 3258 Clarcona Road Apopka, FL 32703
  
• Bithlo Maintenance Unit, 18753 Old Cheney Highway, Bithlo, FL 32820
  
• John Young Maintenance Unit, 4200 S. John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL 32839
  
• Taft Maintenance Unit, 11442 Intermodal Way, Orlando, FL 32824
  
• Three Points Maintenance Unit, 4737 S. Goldenrod Road, Orlando, FL 32822
  
• West Orange Maintenance Unit, 644 Beulah Road,  Winter Garden, FL 34787
  
• Zellwood Maintenance Unit, 3400 Golden Gem Road, Zellwood, FL 32712
  
• Goldenrod Maintenance Unit, 2530 N. Forsyth Road, Orlando, FL 32792
  

The city of Apopka will provide 10 sandbags per resident and business starting at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the Public Services facility located at the corner of South Highland Avenue and East 8th Street.

SEMINOLE COUNTY: 

Seminole County is not handing out sandbags at this time until the Emergency Operations Center activates.

BREVARD COUNTY:

• Brevard Sheriff's Farm, 2955 Pluckebaum Road, Cocoa, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 10 sandbags per vehicle.

OSCEOLA COUNTY:

Osceola County is handing out bags from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Each resident can receive up to 25 bags, with sand and zip-ties but must fill their own bags at the following locations:

LAKE COUNTY

Lake County is handing out sandbags at multiple fire stations. 20 per household. Must bring your own shovel, bags provided and you can go any time.

• Station 10- 23023 State road 40, Astor
  
• Station 14- 42700 state road 19, Altoona
  
• Station 53- 2505 Spring Lake road, Fruitland Park
  
• Station 110- 6234 County Road 561, Clermont

MARION COUNTY:

The city of Ocala will provide 10 sandbags per household on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The two locations are:

• SW corner of NE 8th Avenue and NE 14th Street
  
• E.D. Croskey Recreation Center, 1510 NW 4th Street
  

More locations will be added as Local 6 and ClickOrlando.com receive updates from counties.