City of Tampa prepares for Hurricane Ian

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Hurricane Ian is approaching Hillsborough County. The City of Tampa urges residents to prepare as soon as possible and heed all warnings from officials.

Hillsborough County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for Zone A and a voluntary evacuation order for Zone B. See evacuation zone information and access the Hurricane Evacuation Assessment Tool on the Hillsborough County website.

This is an ever-evolving situation - stay informed to stay safe. Follow the City of Tampa for updates via social media. Register for Alert Tampa notifications at tampa.gov/AlertTampa and to receive text alerts, text TAMPAREADY or TAMPALISTA to 888-777.

IMPORTANT RESOURCES

As a precaution, the City of Tampa is distributing free sandbags to residents daily from 9am – 6pm at three locations until further notice - Himes Avenue Complex, Al Barnes Park, and MacFarlane Park (in front of Barksdale Senior Center).

NOTE: Sandbag location hours have been extended to 8pm today, September 26th (while supplies last).

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. There is a ten bag limit. Please note: there may be long lines and we appreciate your patience.

Have questions? Tampa's Citizen Information Line is now open at 1-833-TPA-INFO (or 1-833-872-4636). Call takers will be available to answer questions and provide information on Monday, September 26th from 12pm-8pm and starting Tuesday, September 27th, daily from 8am-12am.

The City of Tampa is offering Out of School Camps at 16 Tampa Parks & Recreation sites. This opportunity is open for students K-12 who need a place to play on Monday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 27 while Hillsborough County schools are closed. Learn more and see the locations.

Now is the time to ensure your family’s emergency supply kit is stocked with the critical items you will need in a disaster situation. Review suggested items to include here.

HELPFUL LINKS

Executive Order 022-11
Mayor Jane Castor has declared a State of Local Emergency (EO #2022-11).

Find Your Evacuation Zone
Hillsborough County has issued a mandatory evacuation for Zone A and a voluntary evacuation for Zone B starting at 2 pm on Monday, September 26th. Find your evacuation zone here on the Hillsborough County website.

Emergency Shelters
Hillsborough County has opened emergency shelters for Hurricane Ian. Shelter locations can be found here.

Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline
Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline with Tropical Storm Ian approaching the state. Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by using the No Scam app, visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM.

City of Tampa Road Flood Map
Do not drive through flooded waters. Follow all flood safety precautions and review reported flooded areas on the City of Tampa Flood Map.

TECO Outage Map
Review the TECO Outage Map for information on outages before, during, or after the storm.

City of Tampa Flood and Natural Hazards Citizens Guide
It's important to know both your Flood Zone and your Evacuation Zone, and the difference between them. A home may be in a non-evacuation zone, but still be in a high risk flood zone because of a nearby pond or stream. Alternatively, a home could be in a low risk flood zone, but still in an early evacuation zone because of storm surge projections or high winds. The City of Tampa Flood and Natural Hazards Citizens Guide provides explanatory information on hurricanes, storm surges, evacuation zones, and more.

National Weather Service Tampa Bay
For hurricane track updates, follow the National Weather Service Tampa Bay on Twitter and access their website here.

RECENT HEADLINES

Hillsborough County announces school closures ahead of Ian
WFLA NewsChannel 8
Hillsborough County schools have closed so the county can prepare to use the buildings as shelters ahead of Hurricane Ian.

'Now is the time to prepare': Florida residents told to take precautions as Hurricane Ian nears
Fox Weather
An ominous warning has been announced from Tampa, Florida, Mayor Jane Castor as rapidly intensifying Hurricane Ian nears the Gulf of Mexico - "Now is the time to prepare. Don't wait until it's too late."

DeSantis: Tampa Bay-area tolls suspended ahead of Hurricane Ian impacts
10 Tampa Bay
This includes popular bridges like the Pinellas Bayway, Sunshine Skyway, Selmon Expressway and I-4 Connector.

11AM Update: Hurricane Ian gains strength, Tampa Bay still in cone of uncertainty
WFLA NewsChannel 8
The forecast track didn’t shift much with the 11 a.m. forecast, but it appears the storm would move forward slower, meaning it could stick around in Tampa Bay longer than previously expected.

Mandatory evacuations ordered for over 300,000 in Tampa Bay as Hurricane Ian churns closer to Florida
FoxWeather
Hurricane Ian is currently on a path that will likely take it into the Gulf of Mexico as a major hurricane and towards Florida.

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