Photos: How Tampa Bay Prepared for Hurricane Idalia

Julio Rosas | August 30, 2023 7:15 AM

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — The Tampa Bay area braced itself on Tuesday in case Hurricane Idalia decided to change course and make a eastward turn towards the region at the last minute. Hurricane Ian in 2021 was supposed to make landfall around Tampa before shifting direction and hit south instead.

Zone A in Pineallas County was issued a mandatory evacuation on Monday, which mostly comprised of beach towns such as Indian Shores and Redington Shores, though there were some businesses open with a handful of people taking one last walk on the beach before the storm hit the state (featured image). Sandbags were placed at the foot of doorways.

Townhall Media/Julio Rosas

At the C.W. Bill Young Armed Forces Reserve Center, elements of the Florida National Guard's 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team were finalizing their plans and unit mobilizations across the state ahead of Hurricane Idalia making landfall. Governor Ron DeSantis has authorized over 5,500 National Guardsmen to be activated and the 53rd comprised 2,218 of them. The National Guard is just one of the state's many agencies that have been working around the clock to prepare to respond to the aftermath of the hurricane.

The projected path of Hurricane Idalia is supposed to bring the main body of the storm over Cedar Key, located in Levy County. Elements of the National Guard have been staged in neighboring Taylor and Dixie Counties, with other units as far west as Tallahassee and as far east as Orange County. The units are equipped with vehicles to navigate floor waters or to clear rubble. Aircraft will also be used for recon and rescue missions.