Tropical Storm Ian: Free sand, bags offered throughout Volusia County as residents prepare

DAYTONA BEACH — Volusia County and several municipalities started offering free sand and bags on Saturday to residents to get ready for the possible impact of Ian.

The tropical storm is expected to strengthen rapidly with models showing it plowing into the southwestern part of the state as it treks northward, according to the National Hurricane Center. There is still plenty of uncertainty where it ends up, but folks on Saturday were getting ready for the worst.

"I'm getting prepared," said Stan Pinson, 72, among the residents who arrived early on Saturday to load his limit of 10 sand bags into the back of his SUV in the parking lot of Daytona Beach Shores City Hall. "I've already got everything else. This is the last thing on my list."

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Most cities require proof of residency for the sand bag distribution, which unfolded at sites from Ormond Beach to Deltona to New Smyrna Beach.

As Volusia County Emergency Management officials continue to monitor the storm, the county announced that it will open its Citizens Information Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, and Monday, Sept. 26. Residents may call 866-345-0345 for storm-related information, sandbags, disaster preparation and community resources.

Although bottled water aisles in many stores already were empty by Saturday afternoon and gas pumps at a few stations already were covered with plastic bags to indicate that supplies were at least temporarily gone, many residents approached storm preparation with a sense of routine.

"I have a healthy concern, but I'm not overwhelmed with worry," said Cayla Cue, 24, a hairdresser and lifelong resident of South Daytona. She was among dozens of city residents shoveling sand into bags at that city's distribution location at Reed Canal Park.

"This is the last bit of preparation that I have," she said. "I went to Winn-Dixie in Port Orange to stock up on water and it seemed like they still had quite a bit on the shelves. There was not too much of a frenzy yet."

In Deltona, cars waited in a drive-through line at Festival Park on Howland Boulevard, a process that unfolded smoothly, according to resident Christine Tancrell, 65.

"It was really easy," she said. "We didn't have to wait long at all."

Nearby, another Deltona resident, Jose Ginorio, 54, waited his turn in his Dodge Ram pickup. A resident of Deltona for nearly 30 years, he said he is uneasy about Ian because the storm is projected to possibly follow a track similar to Hurricane Charley that left behind major damage when it smacked into Volusia County in 2004.

"If it's the same track as Charley, that storm took my roof," Ginorio said.

As some residents loaded sand bags, others prowled grocery store aisles for supplies that sometimes were hard to find. At the Publix Super Market at Crown Centre in Orange City, the bottled water aisle had been picked clean by midday Saturday.

"I've got some (water), but not enough," said shopper Cindy Ferrante of Orange City. "I can't believe it's already gone, but I'll get some somewhere."

Ferrante, who said she she has been through plenty of storms, wasn't stressed about Ian's potential arrival.

"I don't go crazy when these things come," she said. "I just get the basics. I've had no issues before, so why would I have any now?"

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Here's a rundown of where residents can get sand and bags.

VOLUSIA COUNTY

Volusia County will provide free sand and empty sandbags to residents from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of the Volusia County Correctional Facility located at 1354 Indian Lake Road in Daytona Beach.

DAYTONA BEACH

Sandbag supplies will be available for residents and business owners from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday in the parking lot near the southeast corner of Orange Avenue and Jean Street. Residents are asked to bring their own shovel. There is no charge for sandbags, and there is a 10-bag limit per vehicle.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES

Sand and bag distribution will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Daytona Beach Shores City Hall, 2990 S. Atlantic Ave., and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Shores Community Center, 3000 Bellemead Drive.

The city will provide bags, sand and shovels. Residents should be prepared to fill the bags. There is a limit of 10 sandbags per household or business. Proof of residency is required.

DEBARY

Sand and bags will be distributed at DeBary City Hall, 16 Colomba Road, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There is a limit of 10 bags per household. Bags are not available for commercial businesses. Proof of residency is required. Residents should bring a shovel and be prepared to fill the bags.

DELAND

A self-service sandbag station will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, in the Melching Field parking lot at the corner of East Hubbard Avenue and South Woodland Boulevard. Sandbags will be limited to DeLand residents only so please bring your ID. There will be a limit of 10 bags per household.

DELTONA

The city will set up sandbag filling stations from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Festival Park, 191 Howland Blvd. Residents must provide proof of residency and fill the bags themselves. Proof or residency is required.

EDGEWATER

The city of Edgewater has stocked three locations with sand piles, and they are accessible 24 hours a day. Residents should bring their own shovels and bags.

The locations are: Fire Station 57, 2628 Hibiscus Drive; Mango Tree Lake, 901 Mango Tree Drive and the airport staging area, 1898 Airpark Road.

Mango Tree Lake site will be staffed from noon to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25; and 1 to 6:30 p.m. Sept 26-28.

HOLLY HILL

Holly Hill residents can pick up sandbags from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, in the Public Works lot on 10th Street at the railroad tracks. Residents must show proof of identification. There is a 10-bag limit. Please bring your own shovel.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH

The city of New Smyrna Beach will provide sandbags to residents ahead of the forecast arrival of Tropical Storm Ian at the Sports Complex football stadium, 2335 Sunset Dr., during the following dates and times: Sunday, Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Tuesday, Sept. 27 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

City staff will be onsite to provide either 10 prefilled sandbags in the football stadium’s north vehicle loop or 15 fillable bags at a sand pile in the field south of the main entrance. Proof of residency, such as a photo ID with a New Smyrna Beach address, is required. Residents opting to fill their own bags must bring their own shovel.

An electronic message board at U.S. 1 and South Street will direct traffic to the distribution site and a barricade at Sunset Drive and Turnbull Bay Road will be in place to ease ingress and egress of traffic from the area.

OAK HILL

The city of Oak Hill will offer sand and bags from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday this week at 234 S. U.S. Highway 1. Residents must provide proof of residency, bring their own shovel and fill their own bags. There is a limit of 10 bags per household.

ORANGE CITY

Residents may pick up sand and bags at the Waggin’ Trail Dog Park, 1201 S. Leavitt Ave., from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25; and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26. Residents must bring their own shovel and fill their own bags. There is a limit of 10 sandbags per household. Proof of residency is required.

ORMOND BEACH

A self-serve sand pile and fillable sandbags is available at the Nova Community Center located at 440 N. Nova Road from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Residents can receive up to 10 fillable bags. They should bring a shovel and be prepared to fill the bags and load them into their vehicles.

PONCE INLET

The Town of Ponce Inlet will again provide sandbags today, Monday Sept. 26, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Ponce Inlet Community Center, located at 4670 S. Peninsula Drive until the sand and bags are gone.

Hurricane passes will also be available. Residents should bring a shovel and be prepared to fill their own bags. There is a limit of 10 bags per resident, and identification is required.

PORT ORANGE

The city of Port Orange will provide bags and sand for residents beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at these sites:

• Coraci Sports Complex, 5200 Coraci Blvd.;

• Spruce Creek Recreational Facility, 6040 Central Park Blvd.;

• Airport Road Park, 6751 Airport Road;

• Port Orange Adult Center, 4790 Ridgewood Ave.;

Residents must provide proof of residency. They are allowed to fill up to 10 bags. They should bring their own shovels and are responsible for filling the bags themselves. Assistance will be provided.

SOUTH DAYTONA

Sand and bags will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting Saturday at Reed Canal Park, located at 2871 S. Nova Road. The city will provide bags, sand and shovels. Residents must provide proof of residency and will be allowed to fill 25 bags.

You can reach Eileen at Eileen.Zaffiro@news-jrnl.com. Jim Abbott of the News-Journal staff contributed to this report.  

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: As Tropical Storm Ian approaches, free sand and bags available