Hillsborough's new machines produce 900 sandbags per hour

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Hillsborough County hopes to eliminate those images of long lines of cars waiting for sandbags we all experienced with Hurricane Irma.

The county did a "show and tell" of their new sandbagging machine at the Emergency Operations Center.

"The new sandbag machine we got new this year, it produces 900 sandbags per hour," said Christopher Sanz, the General Manager of Hillsborough County Park Services.

That production is what really attracted the county to purchase six of the machines.

"It fills with sand, sews them up, sends them down the conveyor for dispersement," Sanz explained.

The overall result is more sandbags produced with less labor required.

That frees up the park personnel to assist residents who show up needing sandbags.

"It's a great benefit to have," Sanz said. "We'll be able to cycle in much more citizens through the process."

The county purchased six of the machines overall and estimates that, collectively, they will be able to produce between 5,400 to 5,600 sandbags per hour throughout the county.