LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Hundreds of people picked up sandbags from the Northeast Branch Library on Monday to help protect their homes from any water damage Idalia might bring.
The preparation comes as Leon County declared a State of Emergency ahead of Idalia's predicted landfall on Florida's west coast.
The county provided a list of resources to help neighbors prepare:
FloridaDisaster.org contains a summary of currently open general and special needs shelters within the State of Florida.
Visit Florida website contains current travel safety information as well as resources for hotel and lodging availability across the state of Florida.
The American Red Cross shelter directory contains a list of currently open American Red Cross shelters across the country.
David Alcala knows the importance of preparation.
"I have been in Tallahassee since 2005 and I have faced some hurricanes," Alcala said at a sandbag pick-up station at the Northeast Branch Library. "[The sandbags] just to ensure the water doesn't run towards the house, that it goes away."
Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters said the county provided sandbags for people to protect their homes.
"You don't want to be out in the environment with tree limbs that could fall, power lines that could fall, roadways impacted by water, you might not know the depth," Peters said.
Brenda Olsen is tracking Idalia and remains hopeful the storm won't be too destructive to her community.
"Looks like it's going to come in south of us, so we're on the good side of the storm," Olsen said.
Still, she is not taking any risks and was thankful the county provided sandbags.
"These guys are wonderful. The county is wonderful in helping protect us and the information we get," Olsen said.
Alcala said he was also grateful for the county's help.
"I think we Floridians are prepared for all of this," he said. "Even though I have met some of them and they are quite stubborn. But in the end, they figure out how to survive."
Workers with Leon County will also be giving out sandbags Tuesday at all five locations across the county.
- Leon County's Northeast Branch Library, 5513 Thomasville Road
- Apalachee Regional Park (Solid Waste Management Facility), 7550 Apalachee Parkway
- Fred George Park, 3043 Capital Circle NW
- At the intersection of Oak Ridge at Ranchero roads
- Fort Braden Community Park, 15000 Blountstown Hwy
Emergency Shelters
Leon County Schools, the following four emergency shelters will open on Tuesday, August 29 at 5 p.m.:
- Fort Braden Elementary, 15100 Blountstown Hwy
- Chiles High School, 7200 Lawton Chiles Lane
- Rickards High School, 3013 Jim Lee Road
- Lincoln High School, 3838 Trojan Trail
