In response to the swath of destruction left by Hurricane Milton, St. Johns County is stepping up its recovery operations. The county has announced the hiring of an emergency debris removal contractor to aid FCC Environmental in clearing storm debris from public spaces. As crews work to restore order, officials are urging residents to expedite the process by moving their storm debris to the curb, making collection more manageable.
According to the official county communication, the debris needs to be sorted appropriately: vegetation should be separated from other storm-related refuse, like construction materials and damaged appliances. Residents must also keep debris piles away from obstacles like utility boxes and fire hydrants, by at least three feet, a requirement that can be easy to overlook in the haste to clear damaged properties. Bagged yard waste is to be collected on regular yard waste collection days.
Adherence to the set guidelines is critical for an efficient recovery. The standard household garbage, recycling, and bagged debris will not be affected by these emergency measures and FCC Environmental will pick them up as per the usual schedule. It's a semblance of normalcy in the wake of chaos.
It's made clear that curbside pickups won't include chemicals or hazardous waste. Those materials pose a different kind of challenge and, hence, residents should transport them to designated disposal sites like Tillman Ridge or Stratton Road Transfer Stations during operating hours. These measures are an attempt by St. Johns County to protect its community and ease back into daily life as swiftly as it can.
