ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s the calm before the storm, but for Cindy Pettele, it’s the perfect time to prepare for one.
Friday, the City of St. Pete loaded her car with free sandbags.
“It just makes sense. I mean, why wait ‘til the last minute?” said Pettele, who lives on the water in South St. Pete.
A storm in the Gulf could be headed here next week, and even though it might not reach hurricane status, Petelle knows it doesn’t take much to flood coastal neighborhoods like hers.
Amber Boulding, St. Pete’s emergency management manager, is reminded of Tropical Storm Eta in Nov. 2020, which flooded more than a hundred homes in St. Pete.
“It took a lot of folks by surprise,” Boulding recalled.
That’s why she hopes people across the area will do some homework this weekend.
She says anyone whose home is at risk of flooding should consider picking up some sandbags. St. Pete and several local counties, such as Pasco, Citrus, and Hernando counties, all have distribution sites.
“And if not for next week, it’s the height of hurricane season, so hold onto them,” Boulding said.
It’s not just sandbags that she wants people to start thinking about. She also wants them to also check their yards for debris like palm fronds.
That debris can clog up storm drains and make any flooding worse.
“Go out. Check the storm drains in your neighborhood. If you see palm fronds, go ahead and grab those,” Boulding said. “You can discard them in your trash cans.”
Finally, start planning out and buying essential supplies.
“Make a list of what you’re going to need for your family to include things to do for your kids, dog food, water,” Boulding said.
Find a supply kit checklist, sandbag locations, and a whole lot more on the Hurricane section of our website.
