TAMPA, Fla. — While there’s still work to be done, the city of Tampa is highlighting major progress in its efforts to clear storm debris after back-to-back hurricanes.
“You’re either going to cry or laugh,” said 82-year-old Gary Jones. “I just let it roll.”
With that positive attitude, you wouldn’t guess how much Jones and his family were impacted by Hurricane Helene.
“We’re living in a hotel right now until we can get some of the work done,” Jones said.
He lives off South West Shore Boulevard in Tampa, an area ABC Action News visited right after Helene. Flooding hit his home hard after the storm.
“The water came up about 8 inches on the floor, so we have a lot of furniture that was damaged,” Jones said.
Furniture, dry wall, and all the things that make up people’s homes lined streets around the neighborhood just over a month ago. Now, it’s night and day, with lots of debris gone.
“It’s a lot of work, and to me, they’ve done a terrific job in the period of time with the amount of stuff that has to be taken out of here,” Jones said. “They’ve done well.”
Tampa officials said crews have collected more than a million cubic yards of debris since Hurricane Helene. That’s enough to fill Tampa’s Rivergate Tower three times, better known as the ‘Beer Can’ building. But the work isn’t done yet.
“We have potentially, 700,000 cubic yards of debris left curbside,” Solid Waste Director Larry Washington said. “FEMA sets forth a 90-day deadline, and we will beat that 90-day deadline."
Leaders said about 250 collection trucks are operating citywide, with crews continuing to work 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, while three contractors and more than 300 subcontractors have been hired to increase efficiency.
“We’re doing everything we can to get it picked up as quickly as possible,” Mayor Jane Castor said.
You can help speed up the process, too, by putting debris by the curb without blocking the roads or storm drains. The city said debris should be separated into three piles:
- Vegetative storm debris
- Furniture and construction debris
- Large appliances
Yard waste, like grass clippings and leaves, shouldn’t be put in the same piles as hurricane vegetative debris.
“The work will be done correctly, and we’ll be able to get back in here and start our life all over again,” Jones said. “It’s going to take a little bit of time, but we’ll get there.”
People who don’t want to wait for city crews can also get rid of debris themselves at two vegetative debris sites open Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are listed below.
- 22nd Street Park, 7801 N. 22nd Street (Vegetative debris only)
- Gadsden Park, 6901 S MacDill Avenue (Vegetative debris only)
- In addition, residents may use the McKay Bay Transfer Station located at 114 South 34th Street, where vegetative and household debris is accepted.
The city said all three locations are available to residents at no extra cost. To prove residency, residents must provide a government-issued I.D. matching the name and address on their solid waste account.
