PHOENIX (AZFamily) — With storms in the forecast Thursday evening and Friday — both First Alert Weather Days — Valley cities and towns are getting prepared.
Phoenix and other cities and towns announced locations Thursday for people to fill and pick up sandbags.
“I don’t want to use the word PTSD, but if you remember the time it flooded 10 years ago, today get the bags. If you’re going to take the energy to fill the bags, get them in place. Get them in place before it’s too late,” Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade said.
There’s an increased chance of rain Thursday evening in the Valley. Rain could be heavy at times, with rainfall totals of an inch or more possible. A flood watch is in effect for the Valley from 2 p.m. Thursday until 5 a.m. Friday.
Sandbags can be a helpful tool to dam or divert floodwater from storms. Bags should be filled one-half to two-thirds full.
“If you overfill it, it just becomes a cement block that’s inflexible and water can get through. You want to have a little pliability to where they sit on top of each other, they fill in the gap. So, you should be able to push into that should be soft,” said McDade.
The following sites in Phoenix are part of the publicly available Sand Deployment Plan:
- District 1 – Paseo Highlands Park – 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd.
- District 2 – Paradise Valley Park – 17642 N. 40th St.
- District 3 – Moon Valley Park – 502 W. Coral Gables Dr.
- District 4 – Encanto Park Sports Complex – 2121 N. 15th Ave.
- District 5 – El Oso Park – 3451 N. 75th Ave.
- District 6 – Pecos Park – 17010 S. 48th St.
- District 7 – Santa Maria Park – 3425 S 71st Ave
- District 8 – The park at 35th Ave. and Baseline Rd. – 7858 S. 35th Ave.
- District 8 – Esteban Park – 3345 E. Roeser Rd.
Sand is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis at all Phoenix sites. The city does not provide bags or shovels; residents will need to bring their own.
The city of Scottsdale also has sandbag-filling locations, with a limit of 10 bags per household. Scottsdale provides sand, shovels and bags, but residents will need to fill their own sandbags.
- District 1 Police Headquarters, 7601 E. McKellips Road
- Solid Waste Transfer Station, 8417 E. Union Hills Drive
Mesa has locations with pre-filled bags, or residents can fill their own bags.
Sand and empty bags are available at the following sites in Mesa, but residents should bring their own shovels:
- Fire Station 202, 830 S. Stapley Drive
- Fire Station 208, 4530 E. McKellips Road
- Fire Station 209, 7035 E. Southern Avenue
- Fire Station 212, 2430 S. Ellsworth Road
Pre-filled sandbags and sand with empty bags are available at these locations in Mesa:
- West Mesa Service Center, 300 E. 6th St. (west side of building)
- East Mesa Service Center, 6935 E. Decatur St. (front parking lot)
Sand is available at three Gilbert fire stations, but residents should bring their own shovels:
- Fire Station 1, 2730 E. Williams Field Road
- Fire Station 3, 1011 E. Guadalupe Road
- Fire Station 9, 3355 E. Ocotillo Road
In Tempe, sand and empty bags are available at two sites, first-come, first-served. Residents are asked to bring shovels, protective eyewear and a helper.
- 1001 N. Rio Road. Access drive north of Rio Salado Parkway and Hardy Drive. Open daily, 24 hours.
- Benedict Sports Complex – 490 W. Guadalupe Road. Northwest corner of Guadalupe and Kyrene roads, east side of the parking lot. Open daily, 24 hours.
Chandler has a do-it-yourself station near Chandler’s Streets Division at 975 E. Armstrong Way with sand, bags and shovels along the north side of Armstrong Way and west of McQueen Road.
Fountain Hills has one location for residents to pick up filled sandbags: Fountain Hills Fire Station #1 at 16426 E Palisades Boulevard.
Glendale is making sand and bags available for free to residents at two sites, available 24 hours a day.
Glendale residents are asked to bring their own shovel to fill bags. Sand and empty bags are available.
- Bonsall Park South – Southeast corner of 59th Avenue and Bethany Home Road (Enter from Bethany Home)
- Glendale Fire Department Support Services – 7501 N. 55th Avenue
Surprise residents can get free sand and bags at the following sites but should bring their own shovels.
- AZ TechCelerator – 12425 W. Bell Road
- Fire Station 302 – 18600 Reems Road
- Water Well site – 16849 W. Jomax Road
- 219th Avenue & Deer Valley Road (southwest corner) – Temporary location
- 183rd Avenue & Norwich Drive (northeast corner) – Temporary location
The Buckeye Public Works Department has four sites for residents to fill their own sandbags.
- Fire Station 702 – 1911 S. Rainbow Road
- Fire Station 704 – 27360 W. Wagner Complex Drive
- Fire Station 705 – 30551 W. Tartesso Parkway
- Public Works – 23454 W. MC 85
Sandbags can be picked up for free at the Avondale Municipal Operations Service Center and all Avondale Fire Stations. More information on sandbags is available for Avondale residents by calling Public Works at (623) 333-4400.
The city of Goodyear makes both sand and sandbags available at three locations. Residents are told to bring their own shovels.
- Thomas Park – Thomas Rd & 144th Avenue in the east parking lot
- Roscoe Dog Park – 15600 West Roeser Road (by the trash bins)
- Goodyear Fire Station 182 – 10701 South Estrella Parkway
In El Mirage, the fire department has sandbags available at the far east end of the main parking lot at the fire department, adjacent to the cul-de-sac (13601 N El Mirage Road).
Tolleson is making sandbags available for residents Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Tolleson Field Operations – 9601 W. Jefferson Street. Tolleson residents will be asked to show proof of residency, and there is a 10-bag limit per household.
- Aguila — Aguila Volunteer Fire Department Station #8011
- Sun City West — Arizona Fire & Medical Authority FS#103
- Sun Lakes — Arizona Fire & Medical Authority FS#232
- Tonopah — Arizona Fire & Medical Authority FS#341
- Wittmann — Arizona Fire & Medical Authority Storage Facility
- Buckeye Valley — Buckeye Valley Fire District
- Buckeye Valley — Buckeye Valley Fire District #324
- Morristown — Circle City / Morristown Fire District Station
- New River — Daisy Mountain Fire District Station #141
- New River — Daisy Mountain Fire District Station #146
- Tonopah — Harquahala Fire District Station #371
- Rio Verde — Rio Verde Fire District Station #441
- Sun City — Sun City Fire Department
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