MANATEE COUNTY, FL (July 4, 2021) – Manatee County has declared a local state of emergency on Sunday ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa.
Manatee County’s Emergency Operations Center will activate to a level two activation tomorrow at 8 a.m. This is an activation that does not require activation of every branch of Emergency Support Functions.
"It’s important for the public to monitor the storm and prepare for a possible tropical storm impacting our area,” said Public Safety Director Jacob Saur. “This will largely be a rain event but as the ground is already saturated, trees can easily topple from the winds produced by tropical storms in our area."
County Administrator, Dr. Scott Hopes, declared a local state of emergency for Manatee County following recommendations from Public Safety and the Governor’s State of Emergency. This will allow County staff to perform any emergency actions needed during the storm.
“Now is not the time to panic, but it’s time to finalize your storm preparations,” said County Administrator Dr. Hopes. “Our residents know the area best and they should begin to make alternate plans now if they’re usually affected by storm surges or flooding.”
Manatee County Public Works Department will open a self-serve sandbag distribution site at their Stormwater Facility, located at 5511 39 Street East, Bradenton, FL 34203. Manatee County residents can begin making sandbags (limit of 10 per household) Sunday at noon. The site will remain open until 7 p.m. and reopen Monday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit www.mymanatee.org/sandbags for more information.
MCAT users are encouraged to check www.mymanatee.org and the MCAT website for news about potential service interruptions in the early part of the week.
Although County offices are closed in observance of Independence Day, Manatee County’s 311 call center will be open Monday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. to field calls from the public about sandbag locations or storm preparedness questions.
Strong winds and storm surge are the top concerns for local officials, but there are no plans for shelter openings at this time. County residents should monitor the news and the County's social media pages for updates. Residents can text ManateeReady to 888-777 for the latest messages from Manatee County regarding any storm.
There are no plans for an evacuation, but County residents should monitor the news and the County's social media pages for updates.
For more information on Manatee County Government, visit www.mymanatee.org. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter @ManateeGov.