Pinellas:

Sandbag distribution locations will open Sunday and Monday for unincorporated Pinellas residents to prepare for potential flooding from increased rainfall, which could occur from Tropical Storm Ian as it approaches Florida next week.

Sandbag distribution locations open Sunday and Monday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. or as supplies last:

• John Chesnut Sr. Park: 2200 East Lake Road in Palm Harbor
• Walsingham Park: 12615 102nd Ave, Seminole
• Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St N, St. Petersburg

Sandbags are limited to 20 per person, and materials will be supplied, shovels available. John Chesnut and Walsingham Park will be closed Sunday and Monday except for sandbag operations. City residents can check with their cities about other sandbag availability.

Clearwater:

If your location is not listed, please check your county/city website.

10 Florida Hurricane Life Hacks from Denis Phillips

• Get the laundry done!

  Denis points out that without air conditioning, anything dirty will start to stink your place up! And when the AC goes out, you’ll want clean sheets because you’ll be sweating a lot!

  

  Tim Boyle/Getty Images

• Dig that OLD phone out.

  When you know the storm’s coming charge up those laptops, and OLD phones… not just the one you use now. Old phones call still call 911!

  

  Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

• Fill up trash cans with water.

  Use that water to flush toilets.

  

  R. Viner/Daily Express/Getty Images

• Cook meat and perishable foods.

  Freeze cooked food too. Denis says he loves a hardboiled egg as a snack on that first day without power.

  

  Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images

• Backpack it!

  Stuff all your important stuff in a backpack so it’s easy to grab in case you need to leave quickly.

  

  Sean Gallup/Getty Images

• Hit the ATM!

  If power goes out for a while or systems go down, it’ll be good to have some cash on hand.

  

  Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

• Lower your AC in advance!

  This is certainly one I wouldn’t have thought of doing… but it makes sense. Higher temps in the room will lower the temp in your fridge to preserve those foods longer.

  

  George Frey/Getty Images

• Scrub!

  Hit the shower just before the storm’s about to hit.

  

  Sean Gallup/Getty Images

• Unplug!

  Unplug your electronics because there will likely be power surges.

  

  Knight/BBGI

• Freeze a cup of water and put a coin on top.

  If the coin stayed on top after the power went out, your food stayed frozen!

  

• Here's a bonus tip from our listener Rebecca...

  I know if you have water to flush your toilet with, you’re good, however, not every toilet will flush, even with water, and you might need an additional toilet, especially if you have others staying with you, so the best home made port-o-potty I’ve ever seen is really easy. Take a bucket, like a Home Depot or Lowes type bucket🪣, fill it with a garbage bag and about 1/4 to 1/2 full with kitty litter. Then take a pool koozy and slice it down one side, half way through. Place the koozy around the top of the bucket and cut it to fit the top of the bucket just right. Put a roll of toilet paper on the handle of the bucket and wha-lah, you’ve got a relatively comfortable, durable port-o-potty. When it gets full, pull out the garbage bag and replace it with another and fill it about 1/4 to 1/2 with litter and you’re all set.