ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – With Hurricane Milton’s track expected to impact much of Florida, preparations are underway across our area.
Milton is expected to become a major hurricane before making landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast around mid-week. Coastal flooding and heavy rains are a possibility.
While wind was the biggest issue for our area during Hurricane Helene, flooding is one of the major concerns ahead of Milton.
So St. Johns County will be handing out free sandbags on Monday and Tuesday to help residents prepare.
Residents can pick up sandbags from 12 to 5 p.m. on Monday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, as long as weather permits and supplies last at the following six locations:
- Windswept Acres Park – 5335 SR A1A South, St. Augustine
- Solomon Calhoun Center – 1300 Duval Street, St. Augustine
- St. Johns County Equestrian Center – 8200 Smith Road, Hastings
- Mills Field – 1805 Racetrack Road, St. Augustine
- North Beach Park – 3721 Coastal Highway, Vilano Beach
- Palm Valley Bridge – East Side of Intracoastal Waterway
In coordination, the City of St. Augustine will provide free sandbags from 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, as long as weather permits and supplies last at the following location:
- Francis Field – 25 W. Castillo Dr, St. Augustine
The sand and bags will be provided free of charge. The public must provide their own transportation and shovels and will be responsible for filling their own bags.
There is a maximum allocation of 20 bags per person. A sandbag typically weighs about 30 to 40 pounds.
Schools
A lot of families are asking if schools will be closed for the storm. No decisions have been made yet but the district will meet Monday to make a decision.
We will update as soon as we know.
Evacuations
No evacuation orders have been issued for any Northeast Florida counties yet, but the county is urging everyone to know their evacuation zone in case those orders do come this week.
On the St. Johns County Emergency Management page, you can find your address. When you select a location, it will tell you what evacuation zone you are in. If an order comes out, it will specify which zones need to leave.
More info
St. Johns County Emergency Management encourages the public to stay informed through these options:
- Follow St. Johns County Emergency Management on Facebook (facebook.com/StJohnsEOC) and X/Twitter (x.com/StJohnsEOC).
- Sign up for the Alert St. Johns emergency notification system at www.sjcemergencymanagement.com.
- Ensure the notification settings selected allow you to be alerted at all times for your safety.
- Register for Nixle Alerts by texting StJohnsEOC to 888777.
Officials are asking residents to prepare now and stock up on whatever food and water they may need, fill up on gas, get cash, batteries and flashlights in case the power goes out and start charging up their devices.
The county is also asking residents to clean items in their yards that could become projectiles due to high winds and rain. This includes patio furniture, decorations and plants.