Isaias Update #16

Saturday, October 17, 5:30 p.m. Full release can be found at https://www.santarosa.fl.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/2228

School bus stops
Santa Rosa County is coordinating with Santa Rosa County District Schools to clear debris from school bus stops. Residents are asked to please keep cleared bus stops free of debris so students can safely access these areas. Signs will be placed to identify designated bus stops.

From the school district: Regular bus routes will be operational on Monday. If any bus stop is moved due to debris, notification will be sent to those students affected through the My Ride K12 app. The county will work to remove debris from those locations before students return to school on Monday.

Because debris removal across the county is expected to continue for several weeks, parents and guardians are asked to walk students to and from their bus stops each morning and afternoon to help ensure their safety. Parents or guardians picking up students from the bus must present a photo ID.

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Debris Pickup

The first pass of debris pickup began on Wednesday, October 14, on publicly maintained roads. There will be multiple passes for debris removal. Santa Rosa County has an estimated 1.5 million cubic yards. The estimated cost of removal is $23 million. As of Friday, October 17, over 80,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris and over 250 cubic yards of C&D debris have been collected. A debris removal dashboard is available to the public at https://tt-emi.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/dc8ae34301e243c890d776a17187ded3#

Residents should place storm-generated debris along the public right-of-way, generally the area between the street and the sidewalk, ditch, utility pole, or easement. Proper placement and separation of debris will help collection crews work safely and efficiently. There is no size restriction. Keep piles consolidated by debris types (vegetative and C&D) and take care not to let any piles spill over into the street.

Residents should follow these guidelines when preparing debris for collection:
- Separate debris by type. Place vegetative debris, such as tree limbs, branches, leaves, and shrubbery, in a separate pile from construction and demolition debris, such as damaged building materials like fencing and sheds. These materials will be collected separately.
- Do not bag storm debris in plastic bags. Only loose debris or debris in PAPER bags will be collected. 
- Keep debris away from utilities and obstructions. Do not place debris near drainage ditches, storm drains, mailboxes, water meters, fire hydrants, low-hanging tree limbs, power lines, transformers, or other utilities. Keep roadways clear for emergency vehicles and other traffic.
- Leave remaining debris for subsequent collection passes. Only storm debris placed along the public right-of-way is currently eligible for collection. If debris is not removed during the initial pass, keep remaining materials properly separated and accessible for subsequent collection.
- Keep household garbage separate. Regular household garbage collection will continue according to schedules established by residential waste service providers. Household trash, including spoiled food, should be placed in regular garbage containers and never mixed with storm debris.

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Vegetative Debris Drop-off Sites
Santa Rosa County has opened temporary, free drop-off sites for vegetative debris from Hurricane Isaias, providing residents with an additional option for disposing of storm-related yard debris.

The sites are available for residents who prefer to haul their vegetative debris to a designated drop-off location rather than transport it to the Central Landfill in Milton. This service is in addition to the county's curbside debris pickup along publicly owned roads, which began Wednesday, October 14.

The temporary drop-off sites are:
- Lenny James Tolbert Memorial Park (Holley Ball Park), 3124 Bob Tolbert Road in Navarre. Map available online.
- Santa Rosa Soccer Park, 3360 Joppa Drive in Pace. Map available online.

Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

Important information for residents:
- There is no charge for Santa Rosa County residents to dispose of vegetative storm debris at these sites.
- Sites are for Santa Rosa County residents only. A valid ID or other proof of residency is required.
- No commercial debris or contractor deliveries are permitted.
- Only vegetative storm debris, such as tree limbs, branches, leaves and other yard debris, will be accepted. No household garbage, construction debris or appliances.
- Material in bags will not be accepted. If items are brought in bags, residents may dump them out at the site and take the bags with them.
- Follow posted signs and directions from site personnel.

Residents may also continue using the county's curbside debris collection service and should keep vegetative debris separate from other storm-related waste.