As we all prepare for Hurricane Idalia, we have been gathering resources and information to help our families in Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties. Heartland for Children's office will be open until noon on Tuesday, August 29th and we'll provide more information on our office hours post-storm.

Check your Disaster Supply Kit Checklist and take advantage of the 2023 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday from Saturday, August 26th - Friday, September 8th, 2023. To find more helpful resources, visit floridadisaster.org.

Resource Information:

Division of Emergency Management has the following updates on Idalia at the link here:  https://www.floridadisaster.org/updates/ (This will include sheltering information, evacuations as ordered, etc. as they become available)

Shelters: Up to date shelter information can be found at the link here:  https://www.floridadisaster.org/shelter-status/ 

Evacuation Orders:  https://www.floridadisaster.org/evacuation-orders/

Power Outages: reported by the Public Service Commission here:  https://www.psc.state.fl.us/hurricane-report

 

Polk

EOC is partially activated at Level 2. Sign up for Polk County warnings by visiting www.alertpolk.com.

School Closures: Closed Wednesday and Thursday; PCPS Schools Will Be Open Tuesday, After-School Activities Canceled | Polk County Public Schools (polkschoolsfl.com);

SANDBAG LOCATIONS: Polk County is making sandbags available throughout the county at Roadway Maintenance Units on Tuesday, August 29. Locations below will be open from 8AM-3PM.

Sandbag site locations are:

• Mulberry – 900 NE 5th St., Mulberry, (863) 519-4734
• Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland (863) 815-6701
• Fort Meade – 1061 NE 9th St., Fort Meade (863) 285-6588
• Frostproof – 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof (863) 635-7879
• Auburndale – 1701 Holt Road, Auburndale (863) 965-5524
• Dundee – 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee, (863) 421-3367
• Poinciana Park – 5109 Allegany Road, Kissimmee 34759

A maximum of 10 sandbags will be provided to each household to help prevent water intrusion into the home.

Shelters:

Polk County shelters will open on Tuesday, August 29. General population and a pet-friendly shelter will open at 4PM:

• Tenoroc High School - 4905 Saddle Creek Rd., Lakeland - Pet-friendly
• Mulberry Middle School - 500 Martin Luther King Ave., Mulberry
• Horizons Elementary - 1700 Forest Lake Drive, Davenport
• Chain of Lakes Elementary - 7001 CR 653, Winter Haven
• Spessard L. Holland Elementary - 2342 EF Griffin Road, Bartow
• George Jenkins High School - 6000 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland

A special needs shelter will open at 10AM at the Department of Health-Polk County Specialty Care Unit, 1255 Brice Blvd., Bartow. Residents who are pre-registered for special needs sheltering that need transportation must call to make arrangements at (863) 298-7027 before 10:00PM Monday or between 7AM - 10AM Tuesday. Residents who are not pre-registered for special needs sheltering but may be eligible for this service must also call regarding availability.

Courthouse: Polk County Courthouses will be closed Wednesday, August 30^th.  Any shelter and juvenile detention hearings will be heard on Thursday, August 31^st at 1PM on the regular shelter and detention dockets.  All hearings scheduled for tomorrow will be rescheduled and notice sent to all pertinent parties as soon as possible. GAL staff will be working remote but their building is closed. 

Hardee

EOC Level 3 Monitoring. Sign up for alerts: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085614890/login

School Closures: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Sandbags: Tuesday 8AM-12PM 205 Hanchey Rd. Wauchula.  Must provide ID, 10 bags her household.

Shelters: Hardee County shelters will open on TODAY 8/29/2023 at 11AM at the following locations:
- General Population (HJH): 2405 US Hwy 17 North, Wauchula, FL 33873
- Pet-Friendly (Bowling Green Elementary): 4530 Church Ave, Bowling Green, FL 33834
- Special Needs (SFSC): 2968 US 17 N, Bowling Green, FL 33834

Courthouse: Hardee County Courthouses will be closed Wednesday, August 30^th.  Any shelter and juvenile detention hearings will be heard on Thursday, August 31^st at 1PM on the regular shelter and detention dockets.  All hearings scheduled for tomorrow will be rescheduled and notice sent to all pertinent parties as soon as possible.  

Highlands

EOC Level 3 Monitoring - Register for ALERT HIGHLANDS by visiting http://bit.ly/hcbccalert

School Closures: Closed Wednesday

Sandbags: Sand is available on West George Boulevard near the Emergency Operations Center at 6850 W. George Blvd., Sebring. Residents will be required to fill their own bags and should bring a shovel and a partner to help if needed. This will be the only County location with sand as of now. Sandbags are unavailable for distribution; they are available at local hardware stores. ALSO, sand is available at the entrance of the Lakeview Memorial Gardens cemetery, 854 S. Memorial Drive, in Avon Park. You must bring your own sandbags. A shovel will be provided.

Shelters: No open shelters as of yet. 

Courhouse: Highlands County Courthouse will remain open for business on Wednesday, August 30^th.