ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Florida – As tropical disturbance Invest 93L begins organizing in the Gulf of Mexico, officials across Northwest Florida are urging residents to stay ahead of the weather and prepare for heavy rainfall. Emergency teams in both Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties are now offering free sand to residents — part of proactive flood-readiness measures as hurricane season intensifies.
There are 12 sand pile locations now available throughout both counties. Locals are encouraged to bring their own shovels and empty sandbags to these fill-up sites. This resource is available at no cost, but supplies are self-serve.
“This storm that’s forming in the Gulf has some odd characteristics,” said Travis Tompkins, Escambia County’s emergency manager and deputy public safety director. “We just want to make sure our citizens are comfortable and ready.”
Though Tompkins added that this particular system may not require sandbags, the message remains clear: prepare early. “It’s a good reminder that we’re in the season, and we need to be ready,” he said.
Santa Rosa and Escambia officials have strategically placed sand around the region. Locations include key sites like Don Sutton Park in Molino, Equestrian Center on Mobile Highway, and Tiger Point Park in Gulf Breeze. All sites are open now for public use.
In Pensacola, Jimmy Coe, president of the long-standing Pensacola Hardware Company, underscored the role of sandbags in weather preparedness. “Sandbags, water, batteries, generators, food — all the basics you need for at least two days,” Coe said.
He added that planning ahead helps avoid panic. “The prepared list that you put together ahead of time is so important, because when you’re in the heat of the moment, you forget basic stuff.”
According to Tompkins, sandbags should only be filled to about three-quarters full. This keeps them flexible enough to mold around doors and garage thresholds, helping to block water intrusion.
“It’s free, it’s there, go for it,” Tompkins emphasized. “It keeps you from scrambling when you really, really need it.”
While Okaloosa County is currently not offering sand for this system, Escambia and Santa Rosa residents can visit the following sand locations:
Escambia County:
Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
Travis M. Nelson Park – 4541 County Road 4, Pensacola
Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A, Pensacola
Ferry Pass Middle School – 8355 Yancey Lane, Pensacola (northwest corner off Parazine Street)
Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W Street, Pensacola
Santa Rosa County:
The corner of Leisure Street and Citrus Drive, Navarre
Tiger Point Park, Gulf Breeze
Pace Fire-Rescue, Pace
The corner of Pine Forest Road and Carroll Road, Milton
Invest 93L is currently being monitored for tropical development in the eastern Gulf, with the potential to bring localized flooding, gusty winds, and 2 to 4 inches of rain (about 50 to 100 mm) to parts of the Florida Panhandle. Stay weather-aware as the system evolves.
