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Tag: sand bags

  • 2017 Storm Prep: Citrus Heights offers free sandbags at two locations

    sandbags, citrus heights
    Citrus Heights residents fill up bags with sand at a station located at city hall. // Courtesy, City of Citrus Heights

    Citrus Heights residents seeking to prepare for expected storms and flooding this season can grab a shovel and stock up on free sandbag supplies at two locations in the city.

    Free sand and bags in the city are available for Citrus Heights residents only, and proof of residency is required before picking up bags from city hall’s main desk, according to the city’s website.

    Regina Cave, who works for the city’s general services department, said the load-your-own bags can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays from city hall, with sand available outside city hall 24-hours-a-day. Sand can also be picked up during regular park hours at C-Bar-C Park, located at 8275 Oak Ave.

    Although sand and bags are free, Cave said residents need to bring their own shovels since city-provided tools “frequently disappear.” A 10-bag limit is recommended for cars, and 20 bags for trucks, due to hauling capacity on vehicles.

    >>See city’s “Storm Ready” web page

    Two years ago, anticipations of a large December storm drove Citrus Heights residents to fill up more than 11,000 free sandbags. Although demand ended up causing sandbag stations to run out of supplies, the storm turned out to be a “fizzle.”

    >>From 2014: ‘Stormageddon’ a fizzle for Citrus Heights, says City engineer

    The city used to operate a sandbag station at McDonald Field, but currently only offers sand at city hall and C-Bar-C park.

    2017 Citrus Heights Sandbag locations:

    City Hall
    6360 Fountain Square Dr. (Bags available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sand available 24-hours-a-day)

    C-Bar-C Park (sand only, no bags)
    8275 Oak Ave., East of Fair Oaks Boulevard

  • STORM: Residents pile up on free sandbags

    Updated Dec. 11, 9:46 a.m.–
    “Load your own” sandbag locations in Citrus Heights have been busy this week, with shovel-ready residents stopping by through Wednesday to load up on free sand in preparation for heavy rains and high winds hitting the area this week.

    Citrus Heights residents fill up sandbags in preparation for storm. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    Delorean Walton, 29, helps his mom, Michele, fill up sandbags in preparation for a large storm expected Wednesday.

    “This is definitely going to be a lifesaver,” said 29-year-old Delorean Walton, who was out Tuesday helping his mom fill sandbags, saying they’ve had some close calls with flooding in the past. “It was nice they put the piles out here early.”

    Although free for Citrus Heights residents, volunteer Sarah Clement was on scene checking ID’s Tuesday, saying more than a few people were turned away for coming from outside the city limits.

    The first-time volunteer also said the “steady stream” of sandbaggers had been “remarkably kind” all day at the McDonald Field location.

    “Everybody’s been really nice and helpful,” Clement said, noting a man who returned to donate some cut-off traffic cones to help others funnel sand into the narrow bag openings. “A couple of people have even come and volunteered to help senior citizens load bags.”

    The City’s Management Analyst Regina Cave said due to weight considerations, residents will be limited to 10 bags for those with cars and small trucks — although she said larger trucks will be allowed to take more, if needed. She also recommended residents take a shovel along, as bags and sand at the two locations are provided by the City, but shovels aren’t guaranteed.

    Cave said the City is also urgently looking for volunteers willing to check ID’s and monitor supplies at the sandbag locations, as she said they currently do not have enough man-power to stay open after 5 p.m.

    Those interested in volunteering at the sandbag stations are invited to call (916) 727-4736. Other sandbag or storm-related questions should be directed to the general services main line at (916) 727-4770.

    <<Want to keep up to date on local news in Citrus Heights? Click here to sign up for our free Weekend Edition and get the top local news stories delivered to your inbox once a week>>

    <<For more storm-related tips, see story: “City gears up for storm; offers preparation tips for residents”>>

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    Citrus Heights sandbag locations and hours (December 2014):

    Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until supplies run out (Update: Citrus Heights police tweeted an update Thursday morning saying that sandbag stations “will remain closed until further notice.” An employee at Lowe’s said their Citrus Heights location was also out of sandbags as of Wednesday evening, although other hardware stores may have bags in stock. Follow The Sentinel on Facebook or Twitter for local updates.)

    McDonald Field (at the corner of Old Auburn and Antelope Road).

    C-Bar-C Park (off Oak Avenue, just East of Fair Oaks Boulevard).