"You have to be cautious", homeowners prepare for rainy holiday weekend

Residents, leaders prep for extra rain this week

FOX 13's Briona Arradondo shares how community members and leaders are preparing for the expected rain over the next few days.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Extra rain in the forecast has homeowners and county leaders preparing for potential flooding. 

Sandbag locations opened up and down our coast on Wednesday. 

Sarasota County workers said more than 100 cars came through the Twin Lakes Park sandbagging site Wednesday.

Sarasota county residents like Toby Weiss filled what they could ahead of extra rainfall expected in this week’s forecast.

"Just in case. One can never know. You have to be cautious on this here," said Weiss, who lives in Siesta Key.

The potential for flooding in neighborhoods prompted local leaders to open sandbagging sites.

Pasco County will have sandbag sites open through Sunday and theirs are 24 hours. The Pasco locations are at Pasco County Public Works (C-Barn) located at 30908 Warder Road in San Antonio, and Magnolia Valley Golf Course, located at 7223 Massachusetts Ave. in New Port Richey.

Pasco officials said they’re clearing storm drains as well.

Sarasota residents Al and Joyce McNash said they’d rather be prepared.

What they're saying:

"We’re in the Bee Ridge area. We have a preserve behind our house and a pool, so we want to prepare with sandbags in case we get some overflows," said Al NcNash. "I learned just to take advantage of the sandbags early. Last year, we came down, and we couldn’t even get in here because there were so many cars."

Big picture view:

Several residents said last year’s storms, Helene and Milton, are at the top of their minds as they fill up with sand.

"This is the first time that I’ve done sandbagging, and it’s because of Helene that I’m here. We had 16 inches of water in our house," said Sharon Helms, a Siesta Key resident.

Helms said she’s lived in Siesta Key for decades and can handle rain. But last year’s season shook her, so she’s getting ready.

"My house is still torn up, and so is everybody else’s in my neighborhood from trying to reno and refix. Hopefully, if I get sandbags, we won’t have it," said Helms.

What's next:

Sarasota County’s next sandbag date is July 19.

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