The City of Tampa's policy has been to provide sand and sandbags to our citizens to protect their property from flooding.
Sandbags are only available after an emergency declaration has been made. If you need sandbags for additional structural support, every property owner in the City of Tampa is entitled to receive ten sandbags per storm event. Depending on the expected severity of the storm one or more locations may be activated as a distribution site.
We encourage you to confirm the activated distribution sites for each storm event at www.tampagov.net/news and on Twitter @AlertTampa
The city of Tampa is offering a pre-registration program for sandbags. You can register now to save time when sandbags become available. Registration takes less than five minutes and you will be notified by email or text when and where to pick up your sandbags.
Tampa residents interested in receiving sandbags must show identification verifying residence within the city limits. A valid driver's license, utility bill, or electric bill will serve as appropriate identification.
More Hurricane Information
The City tested sandbag alternatives that provide better protection. The tests simulated the attempt to seal the gap between a residential door and its door jamb when exposed to two feet of flooding. The tests compared sandbag performance to the following: visqueen backing, duct tape, various caulking and sealing products, and an expanding urethane foam product used for sealing cracks in walls.
The test results conclude that sandbags provide the least protection from water intrusion while the expanding urethane foam product provided the best opportunity to minimize water intrusion when surrounding areas experience limited, short term flooding. We recommend the use of this product as your first choice for flood protection. This product is available at most hardware stores.