Final day to prepare as tropical storm Elsa approaches Manatee and Sarasota counties

With tropical storm Elsa tracking toward the west coast of Florida, one day remains for residents in Manatee and Sarasota counties to prepare for potential flooding threats.

Elsa is expected to hit Cuba today and then skirt the west coast of Florida on Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday.

While officials have warned Elsa could strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico, it is expected to remain a tropical storm as it passes the region.

Gov. Ron DeSantis made a pre-landfall emergency declaration for 15 counties including Manatee and Sarasota counties. DeSantis' declaration makes emergency protective measures such as direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care, including evacuation and sheltering support.

On Sunday, Manatee County declared a local state of emergency as the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center moved to level two. 

"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 in a county release. “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."

Level two allows county staff members to perform any emergency actions needed during the storm, according to the release.

“Now is not the time to panic, but it’s time to finalize your storm preparations,” Manatee County Administrator Dr. Hopes said. “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.” 
 
The press release noted that the Manatee County Public Works Department will open a self-serve sandbag distribution site at its Stormwater Facility, located at 5511 39 Street East, Bradenton. Manatee County residents can make up to 10 sandbags per household today until 7 p.m. Go to www.mymanatee.org for more storm information.

The Florida Department of Health urges residents to have a two-week supply of medication and medical supplies used regularly. It also suggests that residents keep handy a list of the style, serial number and manufacturer information of required medical devices, insurance cards, medical records, service animal identification, veterinary records and proof of ownership, along with other important papers.