A month after Hurricane Isaias barreled through Florida’s Panhandle as a Category 2 storm, damaging homes and killing several, cleanup crews still work around-the-clock to restore Okaloosa County’s roads and neighborhoods to their pre-storm state.
“We originally started with 2,800 cubic yards per day [of debris cleanup,]” Okaloosa County Public Information Officer Nick Tomecek said. “That’s in unincorporated Okaloosa County. That has since doubled because they’ve added more hauling units.”
Hauling units, Tomecek said, refers to the separate sections of cleanup trucks. One truck often carries two hauling units.
“A lot of people are asking the question, ‘When’s my debris going to be picked up?’” he said. “What I’ve been saying over and over again to folks is, debris removal does take time. Folks do their best to be patient; we totally get it. All of us here at the county were affected by the storm, too.”
Tomecek refers inquiries to Okaloosa County’s debris removal dashboard, which offers a comprehensive list of zones where cleanup trucks have been or plan to address next.
According to the dashboard, as of November 9, Okaloosa County crews have picked up nearly 123,000 cubic yards of vegetation debris. Once gathered, trucks haul debris to a drop-off location.
“We have the Wright Landfill in Fort Walton Beach,” Tomecek said. “We have a large area for debris there, and this is a debris management site. A debris management site is where a load is dropped, and it could either be mulched there, or it will be removed and taken to another site later. The other site is up in the Crestview area. … I believe we have [Northwest Florida State College] helping us out to stage some of this debris so we don’t have folks going from Niceville down to Fort Walton and back.”
Residents can pick up free mulch created from debris at the Wright Landfill.
Tomecek said it’s more than just tree branches and vegetation, though, that crews haul away.
“We’re not taking household hazardous waste, so no batteries, no electronics, no oil paint — stuff like that. But if you have, like, drywall, or old couches that got damaged, we’ll be taking that. It’s also important for people to keep in mind that if there’s a lot there, [crews] may take some of it, but may come back later — could be weeks later — to pick up the rest.”
Funding for the 24/7 debris pickup throughout the county since Isaias’ landfall comes from “a reserve funding in the coffers,” Tomecek said.
“The [Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners] had worked really hard over the past 10 years or so to have that, and that was just in case a hurricane came. Early estimates after the storm left said that we were going to spend $10 million dollars on day one, and that’s part of debris removal. What’s a little troubling is what allowed us to get those reserves was the property tax collection. So, we’re a little concerned that since we’ve got to drop $15 million the first year and $24 million the second year after Amendment 3 passes, it’s gonna be a little more difficult to retain those reserves.”
Tomecek said the county is exploring government reimbursement for Isaias damages/debris, and for future storms.
“The Disaster Declaration does include … public assistance, and that’s for local governments, and so we will be seeking reimbursement because of that Disaster Declaration.”
Tomecek reminds residents that crews are still working “sunup to sundown,” and directs further cleanup questions to the county’s debris removal hotline.
