Pinellas County begins storm debris pickup in neighborhoods that saw bad flooding during Helene

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With all the destruction from Hurricane Helene, an unimaginable amount of storm debris is piled along neighborhoods, including in Pinellas County. 

Officials with the county said they began collection efforts Wednesday for some, others will have to wait much longer. But, there are some things the county is asking folks to do to prepare. 

"Basically, this is your whole life right here at the end of the driveway, everything you’ve got, every photo album, every keepsake, everything about your parents no longer here, it's all right there, you have no keepsakes… no nothing and everyone here has that same issue," said Rich Hulden, a Pinellas County resident.

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As people move forward, clean up and start anew, the county has been assessing how to pick it all up and take it all in. They say: Stay patient, it will take time. 

"Right now we have a county EOC contractor out here setting up the site now," JP Agrall, the project manager for Treasure Island. "We are hoping to get them really going. Today was a slow day getting some trucks going. They should be able to really start moving debris quickly. It's still gonna take some time, we have to sort it out."

FEMA regulations state that county waste complexes cannot accept debris from residents or commercial haulers, creating issues for some private haulers at waste sites.

"In order to remain eligible for reimbursement through FEMA, we can only accept debris from the unincorporated area," said Kelli Levy, the Pinellas Public Works director. "As far as solid waste, the land fill and waste energy plant, that’s a separate function of the county so they do not accept his debris. We know this is a challenge. We are actively looking at what our options are to support the community."

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FEMA also has strict guidelines for what they will reimburse counties for, so officials are asking residents to put things into piles. 

"We do need to separate white goods with appliances, construction debris and regular residential trash... And if you have any electronics, put them into cans and trucks will come to pick them up," said Agrall. 

Now, pinellas.gov has a page dedicated to storm debris clean up with more information on timelines and separating debris.

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