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San Franciscans stock up on sandbags, as major storm hits Bay Area

A long line of cars waits outside a sandbag distribution center Wednesday morning in San Francisco
Ben Trefny
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Ben Trefny
A long line of cars waits outside a sandbag distribution center Wednesday morning in San Francisco

“At the corner of Kansas and Marin, down near Potrero Hill, I’m outside San Francisco Public Works, in a long, long, long line of cars that are here, with people trying to get sandbags.

“You have to be a San Francisco resident. And the line was here from about 9:30. I got in line at about 9:30. And now, it’s about 10:45 in the morning, as I am here, trying to keep my family and my workplace safe; whoever needs sandbags. But I can only get five, because they have limited supplies.

“They are checking IDs. The car in front of me, actually, seems to not be from San Francisco, doesn’t have ID. I think they may get turned away. And they’ve been in line for a really long time.

“There’s a lot of public works employees, who are dressed up, wearing bright green, reflective, full-body rain outfits and trying to direct traffic as best as possible, as people are desperate to get sandbags.”

That's KALW's Ben Trefny. Sandbags in San Francisco will be available until 8 tonight, or until they run out. Find more info at sfpublicworks.org/sandbags.

Ben Trefny
Ben earned a Master's degree in journalism from the University of Oregon in 2000 and got his start in public radio at NPR member station KLCC in Eugene. After freelancing for many magazines and producing for regional and national commercial and public radio programs, he joined KALW in 2004. As Executive News Editor and then News Director, he helped the news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. He also helped teach hundreds of audio producers, many of whom work with him at KALW, today.