Hurricane Milton: Polk County updates & information

LAKELAND, Fla. - As Hurricane Milton works its way toward Florida, here's what people in Polk County need to know.

Grady Judd: Polk County preparing for Hurricane Milton

Sheriff Grady Judd spoke with FOX 13 News about how Polk County is preparing for impacts from Hurricane Milton.

Polk County Evacuations:

No evacuations have been ordered.

Polk County Closings:

The City of Bartow will close all facilities, including city hall, the Public Library, Carver and Polk Street Recreation Centers and the Civic Center, at noon on Tuesday.

Polk State College and its collegiate high school offices will be closed Tuesday, October 8, through Thursday, October 10.

Polk County Shelters:

Polk County will open shelters on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at noon:

Auburndale High School, 1 Bloodhound Trail, Auburndale
Spessard Holland Elementary School, 2432 E.F. Griffin Road, Bartow
Citrus Ridge Academy, 1775 Sand Mine Road, Davenport
Horizons Elementary School, 1700 Forest Lake Dr., Davenport
George Jenkins High School, 6000 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland
Highlands Grove Elementary, 4510 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland
Kathleen High School, 1100 Red Devil Way, Lakeland
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School, 5500 Yates Road, Lakeland
Sleepy Hill Elementary School, 2285 Sleepy Hill Road, Lakeland
Mulberry Middle School, 500 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Mulberry
Lake Marion Creek Middle School, 3055 Lake Marion Creek Dr., Poinciana
Chain of Lakes Elementary School, 7001 Hwy. 653, Winter Haven
Winter Haven High School, 600 6th St. S.E., Winter Haven

Three pet-friendly shelters will also open at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 8. They are located at:

Haines City High School, 2800 Hornet Dr., Haines City
Lake Region High School, 1995 Thunder Road, Eagle Lake
Tenoroc High School, 4905 Saddle Creek Road, Lakeland.

Pet owners must bring shot records for their pets, an airline-approved carrying case or crate and pet food.

Special Needs shelters will also open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, for those residents with special and/or medical needs. Special needs shelters are temporary emergency facilities capable of providing care to residents whose medical condition(s) may require the use of electrical equipment, oxygen or dialysis, or individuals with physical, cognitive or medical conditions who may require assistance from medical professionals. Although special needs shelters provide more care than a general shelter, they do not provide the level of care found in a medical facility.

The Special Needs shelters are located at:

FDOH Polk Specialty Care Unit, 1255 Brice Blvd., Bartow
Ridge Community High School, 500 W. Orchid Dr., Davenport
McKeel Academy, 1810 W. Parker St., Lakeland

Polk County Sandbags:

Polk County will have sandbags available on Monday, Oct. 7, from 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at the following locations:

Mulberry/South Lakeland – Parque Loyce E. Harpe, 500 W. Carter Road, Mulberry
Lakeland – 8970 N. Campbell Road, Lakeland
Fort Meade – 1061 NE 9th St., Fort Meade
Frost Proof: 350 County Road 630A, Frostproof
Auburndale – 1701 Holt Road, Auburndale
Dundee – 805 Dr. Martin Luther King St. SW, Dundee
Poinciana Park – 5109 Allegheny Road, Kissimmee 34759

A maximum of 10 bags of sand will be provided to each home.

Winter Haven

The city will open a sandbag fill station from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7. It will be open on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. weather permitting.

Rueben Williams Sports Complex (Previously Lake Maude Recreation Park) at 1751 7th St NE, Winter Haven, FL 33881

This is a self-serve station, and residents are encouraged to bring their own shovels. The city will provide bags and sand. The limit is 10 bags per Winter Haven resident. Residency is verified by a Winter Haven address on an I.D. such as a driver's license.

Polk County Schools:

Polk County Schools announced that Monday’s after-school programs and sports are canceled or will be rescheduled. All PCPS schools and offices will be closed through Friday, Oct. 11.