Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: Todd Road Jail, 600 S. Todd Road, Santa Paula, CA
Date & Time/ RB#: January 18, 2010
Unit Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Department--Todd Road Jail

In anticipation of heavy rains expected to last through the weekend of January 23rd and 24th, the Ventura County Sheriff's Todd Road Jail facility began issuing sandbags on Friday, January 15th. The Jail initially had 3,000 sandbags filled and ready for immediate pick up on a 24-hour basis. To date, approximately 800 of those sandbags have been given out to the public. The Jail has the capacity to fill an additional 10,000 bags if significant flooding issues become a concern within the county.

Members of the public and government agencies needing sandbags should go to the Todd Road Jail with a vehicle capable of transporting the sandbags. Further instructions will be provided via intercoms at the gate or public lobby entrance.

Public notification of this assistance program was made through the Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services and through the highly effective Farm Watch email network. Farm Watch is an email network administered by Captain Tim Hagel at the Sheriff's Santa Clara Valley Station. It is primarily designed to keep local farmers and ranchers informed of crime trends and other issues affecting rural areas of the county. In general, rural areas are impacted much more severely during heavy rainstorms.