Polk County, Florida — Most Polk County residents deal with fallen trees and debris from Hurricane Ian. Crews work around the clock to pick up debris.
Polk County resident Heather Trevino said: “I don’t think it did as much damage as they expected, but there were lots of trees and branches everywhere.
Trevino was able to bring most of the tree branches and debris to the curb and pick them up.
“We still have a whole tree down in our backyard that we’re trying to get around, and we have a shed that we knocked over. It’s 10 to 15 feet away from our mailbox, so it’s already cleared,” says Trevino. says Mr.
Clearing the debris was a massive undertaking that could not have been done by the county alone. They hired 70 contract trucks to tour from 7am to 7pm seven days a week.
Still, the county says it could take three to four months before all the debris is collected.
“This confirms that everything is on track and that we have touched every lot in the county and have done a good job of getting it back to how it was before the storm,” said Lieutenant Polk County. said Ryan Taylor of General Manager of Infrastructure Division.
The crew makes several rounds, starting with large items such as tree trunks. Taylor said residents can help by keeping storm debris separate from regular trash and yard trash.
“The torso, limbs and material for them stay together. If you rake the yard and put the leaves in a plastic bag, set them aside. Keep them separate,” said Taylor.
The cleanup effort is expected to cost the county $20 million, some of which will be reimbursed by FEMA.
“It wasn’t as extensive as Irma, so we’re estimating half the time and half the cost,” says Taylor.
If you prefer to carry your own yard trash, you can visit one of the following drop-off sites:
- Highland City – Strickland Pit – 5901 Strickland Ave.
- Lakeland – Mount Tabor Road, near Galloway Road
- Poinciana – 9500 Marigold Ave.
Things to know before you go:
- Business hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
- These sites have staff.You must show ID to prove you are a Polk County resident
- No commercial enterprise – residents only
- Plant material only, no garbage bags such as leaves, no construction and demolition (C&D) materials
