SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Sarasota County and North Port are opening free sandbag locations as heavy rains continue to be forecast for the area.
Deanna Baker was among the Sarasota residents filling up sandbags with her son.
"We actually live right down the road in Saddle Creek, and during Debby, the whole back half of our sub was flooded, and we actually have horses back there because we’re the last of the equestrian communities around here with acreage, so about 70% of us have horses, and we had to swim them out," Baker said.
That included Baker's horse, Precious.
“We lived through Ian, and Ian was the winds — but this was the rainfall," Baker said. “We’ve never seen that kind of rainfall in this area.”
Baker has lived there for seven years.
“If you want to live out here, you kind of take care of yourself and you take care of your neighbors, and we have a great support system and will come out and help everybody and anybody that we can," Baker said.
Sarasota County
Sarasota County sandbag location will be open Thursday, Aug. 22, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 23, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the following locations:
- Sarasota County Fleet - South, 4531 Annex Road, Venice
- Twin Lakes Park: 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota
- Ed Smith Stadium (east lot), 2700 12th Street, Sarasota
Bags and sand will be provided while supplies last. Individuals are asked to bring their own shovels. There is a limit of 10 sandbags per vehicle.
City of North Port
The City of North Port opened a self-serve sandbag location at 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, at the following location:
- George Mullen Activity Center, 1602 Kramer Way.
Bags and sand will be available while supplies last. Individuals are asked to bring their own shovels.
