Pasco County offers sandbags ahead of possible Elsa threat
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - With Hurricane Elsa a possible threat to Florida next week, Pasco County is joining Hernando County in offering self-service sandbags to residents.
As of Friday afternoon, Elsa was a Category 1 hurricane entering the eastern Caribbean, but is forecast to downgrade to a tropical storm after interacting with Haiti and Cuba. The long-term forecast is not clear, but nearly all of Florida was in the NHC's forecast cone.
LINK: Track Hurricane Elsa on MyFoxHurricane.com
With that forecast in mind, Pasco County is making sandbags available at the following locations until further notice:
- W.H. Jack Mitchell, Jr., Park: 4825 Little Road, New Port Richey
- Veterans Memorial Park: 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson
- Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey
- Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn): 30908 Warder Road, San Antonio
The sandbag sites are self-serve and open 24/7 to Pasco County residents. Sandbags are provided, but you must bring your own shovels to fill the bags. Crews will restock sand piles between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Pasco County Government has a series of Disaster Preparedness videos, including a tutorial on how to properly fill sandbags. You can watch them at www.PascoEmergencyManagement.com.