BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) — Baltimore is providing free sand and sandbags for businesses and residents in flood-prone areas.

Rochelle Ritchie spoke with the mayor about how the city is preparing for the storm.

“We’re in constant conversation with National Weather Service,” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. “We also have convened all the city agencies to make sure that every agency is ready to respond to a weather emergency, particularly our first responders. And then we’re doing things like this, with the sandbags. We’ll be in three locations.”

The sandbags will be available until 9 p.m. Friday at the Broadway Pier south of Thames Street in Fells Point. Workers with the Department of Transportation will be there to help.

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, sandbags will also be available at the parking lot at 1401 Thames Street on the water side of Thames, at the foot of Caroline in Harbor East.

The Fells Point distribution area will open again on Saturday.

Sandbags are available to Baltimore City residents only.

Charles County is also offering residents free sand and bags.

The Department of Emergency Services says sand will be available Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the first parking lot at Laurel Springs Park, 5940 Radio Station Road, La Plata.

Residents can pick up empty sandbags at the Department of Emergency Services building, 10425 Audie Lane, off of Radio Station Road in La Plata, on the front porch under the awning.

Residents should bring a shovel to fill the bags; none will be provided.

There is a limit of 10 bags per person.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)