When a storm is approaching, two questions come up fast: where to get sandbags and which shelters will be open. The verified information below comes from Orange County. It covers how the county communicates during emergencies, what a past sandbag distribution looked like and who to call. More planning resources are on the site's prepare page.
An important caution: the sandbag details below describe a past distribution, not a current one. Locations, dates and supplies are set by the county each time, so confirm with the county before heading anywhere.
Finding out which shelters are open
The county's emergency shelter page says Orange County anticipates opening pet-friendly shelters during an emergency. Households with animals should keep that in mind when making a plan, and should check the county's announcements for which specific shelters are open, since the sources do not name a standing list.
The county's main tool for staying informed is OCAlert. According to the county's emergency information page, OCAlert sends timely alerts about severe weather and other emergencies by text, email, or phone. Signing up ahead of time means the alerts reach you in whichever of those ways you choose.
Steps to take before a storm
- Sign up for OCAlert so severe weather and emergency alerts reach you by text, email, or phone.
- Decide in advance how your household, including pets, would use a shelter if one is opened.
- Save the county phone numbers listed at the end of this guide.
What a past sandbag distribution looked like
During a past distribution ahead of a tropical storm, the county announced several sites. One of them was the West Orange Recreation Center at 309 S. West Crown Point Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Because that was a past event, treat the address as an example of the kind of site the county has used, not as a promise of future availability.
The county's announcement explains how that distribution worked:
- Residents were provided with 10 unfilled sandbags.
- Residents were directed to a sand pile on site.
- Residents had to bring their own shovel to fill the bags.
If a similar distribution is announced, bringing a shovel and a way to carry filled bags is a sensible step, based on how the earlier event was run.
Help for residents with special needs
In that announcement, individuals with special needs who needed sandbag assistance were asked to contact Orange County 311 by dialing 3-1-1 or 407-836-3111. Anyone who may need help filling or moving sandbags can use the same line to ask what assistance is available.
Putting it together
- For shelters: watch for OCAlert messages and county announcements, and remember the county anticipates pet-friendly shelters during an emergency.
- For sandbags: look for a county announcement of sites. At the past distribution described above, residents received 10 unfilled sandbags and filled them from a sand pile with their own shovel.
- For help: call the county numbers below.
The sources reviewed do not name a sandbag site in Dr. Phillips itself, and they do not say how far any site is from the neighborhood. Residents should rely on the county's current announcement for locations.
Who to contact
- Orange County Office of Emergency Management: (407) 836-9140, per the county's hurricane safety guide.
- Orange County 311 Customer Service: dial 311 or (407) 836-3111.
- For sandbag assistance for residents with special needs: Orange County 311, by dialing 3-1-1 or 407-836-3111.
- For emergency alerts: OCAlert, by text, email, or phone, described on the county's emergency information page.
Sources
Compiled from the official sources below.