Thirty Pasco County Fire Rescue personnel deployed to Tallahassee on Thursday, Oct. 8, to help prepare for Hurricane Isaias as the strengthening storm threatened Florida's Panhandle with damaging winds, flooding and dangerous storm surge.
The team includes urban search-and-rescue and swiftwater rescue specialists who will stage in the state capital and stand ready to respond to emergencies, Pasco County Fire Rescue announced on X.
The deployment comes as Pasco County residents face a separate threat of coastal flooding and heavy rain, even though the hurricane's projected path remains well north and west of the Tampa Bay area.
Hurricane threatens Florida Panhandle with storm surge
Isaias, the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season, strengthened into a Category 2 storm Thursday.
At 8 p.m. Eastern, the National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 100 mph as the hurricane moved northeast across the Gulf of Mexico.
Forecasters expected landfall along the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, with the western Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama among the areas at greatest risk.
Storm surge could reach 5 to 7 feet in some coastal areas, with heavy rainfall, flash flooding and possible tornadoes adding to the danger.
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Wednesday, Oct. 7, covering 25 Panhandle and Big Bend counties, according to Pasco News Online.
"This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond," DeSantis said when issuing the declaration.
State emergency officials have been positioning generators, fuel, flood barriers, drinking water, shelf-stable meals and sandbags to support communities affected by the storm.
Pasco County faces coastal flooding risk
Although Isaias is not expected to make landfall near Tampa Bay, its circulation could contribute to coastal flooding along portions of Florida's west coast.
A Coastal Flood Advisory was issued for Friday through Saturday morning, with water potentially rising 1 to 3 feet above normally dry ground in vulnerable coastal areas from Tampa Bay to the Nature Coast, according to Spectrum Bay News 9.
Flood watches were also in effect Thursday across several Tampa Bay-area counties, including Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus and Manatee.
The threat follows earlier rainfall that left the ground saturated in parts of the region, increasing the potential for localized flooding, WFLA reported.
Residents in low-lying neighborhoods and areas prone to tidal flooding were urged to monitor weather alerts and avoid driving through flooded roads.
Where Pasco County residents can get sandbags
Pasco County opened two self-service sandbag stations operating around the clock:
- Pasco County Public Works C-Barn: 30908 Warder Road, San Antonio.
- Magnolia Valley Golf Course: 7223 Massachusetts Ave., New Port Richey.
Both locations are available to Pasco County residents. Sand and bags will be replenished daily, weather permitting, and residents should bring shovels to fill and load their own bags.
Additional municipal distribution sites include:
- Port Richey City Hall: 6333 Ridge Road. Sandbags are available to city residents, with a limit of 10 per person.
- Former Dade City Police Department: 38042 Pasco Ave.
- Roosevelt Avenue and Canal Street: A second self-service site in Dade City.
The locations were listed in WFLA's regional sandbag guide.
Residents should check local government announcements for changes to distribution hours or availability as weather conditions deteriorate.
For updated storm forecasts and warnings, visit the National Hurricane Center.
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