News to Know

Good morning everyone!

 

As everyone should be aware of now, we have yet another storm, Milton, coming our way that will most likely be knockin’ on our doors probably Wednesday in some fashion since the storm area pretty much covers the western coast of Florida.   We still have time to prepare and should begin the preparation process all over again.

 

Below is information regarding preparation for Milton as well as continued recovery efforts from Helene.  I will try to continue to provide you with updates.   

 

SANDBAGS

 

With impending storm Milton, sandbag operations will open beginning with John Chesnut Park and Walsingham Park 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2024.

 

SPECIAL NEEDS

 

To register for the Special Needs Evacuation Program, please call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333. DO NOT wait until the last minute. Transportation will NOT be available once dangerous winds begin.

 

Eligibility

 

Residents of all ages who have special needs are eligible for the program. Some examples include but are not limited to:

Needing oxygen.

 

Requiring assistance with routine care and medications.

 

Requiring mobility assistance.

 

Dependence on electricity.

 

Requiring transportation assistance.

 

How to Register

 

Call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333.

 

Debris

 

The county is working diligently to get debris picked up and started residential collection of Hurricane Helene debris in the unincorporated area of the county on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Debris collection will be implemented in zones.  The County is currently working to have FEMA allow the County dumping site to be opened for debris.

IMPORTANT: Storm debris that is in bags and/or not separated will NOT be picked up. Storm debris must be loose and separated by type: vegetative material, construction and demolition debris (doors, drywall), mixed goods (mattresses, furniture) and household appliances. Refrigerators MUST be empty.

Disposal sites for individuals and commercial companies in unincorporated Pinellas. See listings.

Sand and Storm Debris Cleanup

Storm Debris Collection

Pinellas County started residential collection of Hurricane Helene debris in the unincorporated area of the county on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Debris collection will be implemented in zones.

IMPORTANT: Storm debris that is in bags and/or not separated will NOT be picked up. Storm debris must be loose and separated by type: vegetative material, construction and demolition debris (doors, drywall), mixed goods (mattresses, furniture) and household appliances. Refrigerators MUST be empty.

Disposal sites for individuals and commercial companies in unincorporated Pinellas. See listings.

Accepted Storm Debris Items

Vegetative Debris

• Logs
• Plants
• Tree Branches

Construction & Demolition

• Building Materials
• Carpet
• Drywall
• Furniture Lumber
• Mattresses
• Plumbing
• Fence

Household Appliances

• Air conditioners
• Dishwashers
• Freezers
• Refrigerators
• Stoves
• Washers and Dryers
• Water Heaters

Storm Debris Items NOT Accepted

Normal Household Trash

• Normal household trash and bagged debris of any kind will not be picked up with debris as part of this program.
• You should continue to follow your normal garbage removal schedule.

Electronics

• Cell Phones

• Computers/Laptops
• Hard drives/CD Drives
• Monitors
• Smart Phones
• Tablets
• Televisions

Household Hazardous Waste

• Lithium Ion/Rechargeable Batteries
• Household chemicals
• Gasoline/Fuel
• For more information, visit pinellas.gov/where.

Residents living in a municipality should check with their city or town about the availability of debris pickup in their area. If you’re not sure if your property is located within unincorporated Pinellas or within a city/municipality, use the interactive My Neighborhood Services tool to find out. For those living on private roads or in gated communities, check with your homeowner’s association for debris collection or use the County’s residential debris management site.

The Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex cannot accept storm-related debris from residents or private haulers. The facility is not an approved site for storm debris disposal BUT Pinellas County is diligently working to have FEMA allow our site to be utilized for storm debris.  Hopefully, this will be happening soon.

Please ensure the roads are accessible for the debris haulers. All authorized debris collection crews will display a placard on the vehicles with Pinellas County’s authorized contractor: DRC

Storm Debris Collection Schedule & Map

Helene Debris Collection

Communities	Map Zone	Tentative Timeframe	Pass #
Crystal Beach; Ozona; West Palm Harbor	INONO5	Oct. 2-9	1
Unincorporated Seminole	INSW09	Oct. 2-9	1
West Lealman	INSE06	Oct. 2-9	1

 

The following locations are available for debris disposal for residents living in unincorporated Pinellas County.

Commercial haulers are NOT able to use this site.

Location	Address	Hours
Central	13600 Icot Boulevard, Clearwater	7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 

 

FEMA Opened Satellite Registration Locations

 

FEMA opened satellite registration locations for assistance in the following locations:

 

Gulfport Public Library: 5501 28^th Ave S., Gulfport 

 

Enoch D Davis Center: 1111 18^th Ave S. St. Petersburg 

 

Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation: 1500 16^th St., Palm Harbor 

 

City of Madeira Beach Recreation Center: 200 Rex Place, Madeira Beach 

 

City of South Pasadena: 7047 Sunset Drive S., South Pasadena  

 

Oldsmar Public Library: 400 St. Petersburg Drive E., Oldsmar 

 

Displaced After Helene?

 

Pinellas County residents displaced by Hurricane Helene have several options for seeking short- and long-term housing.

 

FEMA Displacement Assistance

FEMA Displacement Assistance helps survivors who can’t return to their home following a disaster by giving them up-front money to help with immediate housing needs. The amount of money is based on 14 days of hotel costs based on a rate chosen by the state impacted by the disaster. The assistance is a one-time payment. FEMA may provide up to two weeks of funds for temporary lodging at a hotel, motel, or the home of friends or family, for displaced applicants who apply during the registration period.

Displaced residents can apply for this and other help by calling 1-800-621-3362, visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, or going in-person to the Disaster Recovery Center, at Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Largo. For more info, see FEMA Displacement Assistance Fact Sheet.

FEMA Serious Needs Assistance is also available to pay for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation. You could qualify for both forms of assistance by applying to FEMA by phone or online.

Pinellas Housing Options Website
Pinellas County has posted a list of resources to help displaced people find short- and long-term housing options, including online search tools, real estate company information, short-term rental companies, and apartment listings. Realtors and property managers are responsible for updating their available listings on their websites, but the listings and resources allow residents to more easily locate potential housing options. See Pinellas.gov/hurricane housing.

Local Emergency Shelters

The County continues to provide emergency shelters for people who need a temporary safe

place to stay while looking for a longer-term home. Call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333 for more information on emergency sheltering, including locations that accept pets and have support for people with special medical needs. County staff is actively helping individuals and families who are at shelters find other housing options.  

 

 

Stacy O’Donnell Executive Aide, Commissioner Dave Eggers Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 sodonnell@pinellas.gov Office (727) 464-3276   All government correspondence is subject to public record law.

 

 

Sunset Beach and Tierra Verde remain without access to drinking water.

Pinellas County has rescinded some of the precautionary boil water advisory for barrier islands south of John’s Pass after water quality testing confirmed water in the area now meets all federal and state drinking water standards.

While the advisory has been lifted for St. Pete Beach and Tierra Verde, Sunset Beach and Treasure Island are still without drinking water due to sand and debris covering service valves. There are also 450 properties without access to drinking water due to damage on private property.

The county is working with those property owners as they hire licensed plumbers to make necessary repairs on private property.

While most residents on St. Pete Beach and in Tierra Verde are now cleared to use water as normal, the county is still asking residents to continue reducing water usage to limit wastewater entering the sanitary sewer system and help prevent overflows as crews continue work to bring pump stations back online. Some precautions include taking short showers, only running full dishwashers and limiting use of washing machines.

Residents unsure of their water status or with other questions can call the Utilities customer service line at 727-464-4000. Information on recovery and resources is also available at disaster.pinellas.gov.

--

Ramon Maury CEO Maury Management Group Healthcare & Government Solutions Phone: (850)-222-1568 rm@ramonmaury.com Maurymanagementgroup.com

We are sure many are interested in the condition of East Beach. For now the officail release is below. As soon as we find out more we will get an update out.

Good morning

 

I have pulled some information from the County’s website, www.disaster.pinellas.gov which contains a plethora of useful information.

 

If you have had storm damage, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT.  Before doing any clean-up, take pictures, videos, etc.  If you had water intrusion, you need to get a measuring device and measure the water lines both inside.

 

Citizens Insurance Information

 

I pulled this information from Citizen’s website.  There is a catastrophe center open and active in Largo.  I saw the tents on Saturday.

 

Catastrophe Response Center Locations

 

 

Bardmoor Palms near YMCA

8333 Bryan Dairy Rd
Largo, FL 33773

Hours
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

South Holiday Library

4649 Mile Stretch Dr
Holiday, FL 34690

Hours
12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

 

Claims

Report a claim/status of a claim
24 hours a day

866.411.2742

 

Customer Care Center

8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. ET
Weekdays

866.411.2742

Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing

Florida Telecommunication Relay Service
24 hours a day

800.955.8771 (TTY)

800.955.8770 (Voice)

www.ftri.org

 

 

 

FEMA Assistance is available.  You will need to differentiate between Debby and Helene.  Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service

Emergency Information

Last updated on September 29, 2024

UPDATE (9/28/24): The mandatory evacuation order has been lifted. Effective 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, 2024, access to all beaches and barrier islands is now open only to residents, business owners, or employees with a Barrier Island Re-Entry Permit. Full details.

If your property was affected and you need assistance finding a place to stay, contact the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333 (Open 8 a.m to 6 p.m.). Public shelters are now transitioning to assist those who were displaced.

Pinellas County Utilities has shut off all potable water to all barrier island communities south of Johns Pass for an emergency repair to the water system. View full story.

St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and Tierra Verde utilities customers are all under a boil water notice.

Want to help? To volunteer, go to  Volunteer Connect.

The Pinellas County Emergency Operations Center continues to respond to Hurricane Helene. We will update this page, our Facebook and X pages, and our partners in local media regularly. Check for updates at least every 6-12 hours as storm updates and guidance can change quickly. Sign up for Alert Pinellas for major announcements.

Cooling Stations Available

Several cooling stations are available in areas where residents remain without power following Hurricane Helene. These stations will provide a place for residents to cool off and charge their phones. View locations and hours here.

Storm Damage

Report Damages

• Homes
• Businesses
• Roads or other public infrastructure (SeeClickFix)
• Homeowners Insurance: Take extensive photos of interior and exterior damage before cleaning or removing damaged building materials. Save samples of damaged personal property that you may include in a claim.

Debris Cleanup

The County has contracted with a debris hauler for unincorporated Pinellas and will announce a pickup schedule and what type of debris is eligible for collection soon. If you live in a city, call or check their website for availability of debris pickup in your area.

• Separate tree limbs and yard waste from household items or building debris.
• Put the debris in separated piles on your curb without blocking the road and away from gutters and storm drains.

Help with Cleanup (Crisis Cleanup Hotline)

Crisis Cleanup has activated the Hurricane Helene Cleanup Hotline: (844) 965-1386. This is for people who need help cleaning up damage from the Hurricane Helene and connects people with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups and faith communities who may be able assist with jobs such as muck-outs (cleaning up), trees, tarp, and debris. All services are free, but service is not guaranteed. This hotline will remain open through Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.

Please note: This hotline cannot assist with social services such as food, clothing, shelter, insurance, or questions about FEMA registration. Volunteers work free of charge and provide the tools and equipment necessary to complete the work.

Home and Business Repairs

Is your property damaged? Read our Rebuilding After a Storm webpage before beginning your repairs to ensure your house can better withstand future storms.

Make sure contractors you hire are licensed – unlicensed or fraudulent contractors often target desperate homeowners in the aftermath of hurricanes. Learn more at pinellas.gov/choosing-a-contractor. Verify contractors are licensed at contractorsearch.pcclb.com. If you do not have internet access, you can also call the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board at (727) 582-3100 and choose Option 2 for Licensing to check whether a contractor is licensed.

What to Do with Used Sandbags

You can reuse clean sandbags, but do not throw contaminated sandbags in your trash can or dump them on the beach. You can bring used sandbags, separated from other waste, to the Solid Waste Disposal Complex. More information at: pinellas.gov/sandbags

 

 

Stacy O’Donnell Executive Aide, Commissioner Dave Eggers Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 sodonnell@pinellas.gov Office (727) 464-3276   All government correspondence is subject to public record law.

Pinellas Update: Cooling stations open Saturday   Pinellas County has opened cooling stations in areas where residents remain without power following Hurricane Helene. These stations will provide a place for residents to cool off and charge their phones.   They will be open today, Saturday, Sept. 28, until further notice at the following locations/times: Clearwater: Morningside Recreation Center, 2400 Harn Blvd, Clearwater – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Long Center, 1501 N Belcher Road, Clearwater – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Countryside Rec Center, 2640 Sabal Springs Drive, Clearwater – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. McMullen Tennis Complex, 1000 Edenville Ave., Clearwater – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Center, 900 N Martin Luther King Jr Ave., Clearwater – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A Mother’s Arms, 714 N Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (limited capacity) All Clearwater libraries will be open Saturday, Sept. 28, except for the Beach Library.   St. Petersburg: City locations will be open Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Azalea Recreation Center (1600 72nd St. N) Enoch D. Davis Center (1111 18th Ave. S) Robert Recreation Center (1246 50th Ave. N) Community locations will be open on Saturday, Sept. 28: City On a Hill Church (4265 13th Ave, N): Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mount Zion AME Church (1045 16th St. S): Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Mount Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church (955 20th St, S): Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.   Madeira Beach Madeira Beach City Hall, 14225 Gulf Blvd, Madeira Beach, Saturday, Sept. 28, – 8 a.m. to sunset, until further notice. Seminole Seminole Recreation Center, 9100 113th St, Seminole, Saturday, Sept. 28, – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Closed Sunday, reopening Monday, Sept. 30). Largo Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Dr, Largo – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Sunday, reopening Monday, Sept. 30).   Check with your local municipality for additional cooling station options.

Here are some additional helpful tips and information for you.

 

Crisis Cleanup

Crisis Cleanup has activated the Hurricane Helene Cleanup Hotline: (844) 965-1386. This is for people who need help cleaning up damage from the Hurricane Helene and connects people with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups and faith communities who may be able assist with jobs such as mucks outs (cleaning up), trees, tarp, and debris. All services are free, but service is not guaranteed. This hotline will remain open through Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. Please note: This hotline cannot assist with social services such as food, clothing, shelter, insurance, or questions about FEMA registration. Volunteers work free of charge and provide the tools and equipment necessary to complete the work.

 

 

Home Safety

• Avoid downed power lines. Report downed lines to the power company if you are able.
• Do not wade through floodwaters, which could have live power lines, sewage, wildlife and dangerous objects.
• Use a generator safely. Keep generators in well-ventilated locations outside, away from all doors, windows and vent openings. Never use a generator in a garage, even with the door open.
• Water-damaged power outlets can cause fires. Keep your power off after home flooding until an electrician can take a look.
• If you have an electric vehicle or golf cart and it was exposed to salt water, it needs to be moved away from your home by at least 50 feet.  These vehicles may catch fire in the coming days.

 

Reporting/Repairing Damage

•  9-1-1 is for reporting life-threatening emergencies only – not damages or power outages.  Report issues such as downed traffic lights, broken traffic signs or other damage to public infrastructure through SeeClickFix at pinellas.gov/SeeClickFix.

• Photograph and list all damaged or lost items, including their age and value where possible. Take photos of how high the water was in the house. After photographing, remove any wet contents as soon as possible to prevent mold. Clean and disinfect everything that got wet.
• Contact your insurance agent and file your insurance claim as soon as possible. Learn more at pinellas.gov/flood-insurance.
• Report damages to your home, business, roads or other public infrastructure to qualify our community for federal aid. See links at: disaster.pinellas.gov.
• Do not do work on your home that is beyond your limitations, especially with large tree branches.
• Make sure contractors you hire are licensed – unlicensed or fraudulent contractors often target desperate homeowners in the aftermath of hurricanes. Learn more at pinellas.gov/choosing-a-contractor. If you do not have internet access, you can also call the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board at (727) 582-3100 and choose Option 2 for Licensing to check whether a contractor is licensed.

 

 

Water & Sewer Issues

• Pinellas County Utilities has more than 100 pump stations that are non-operational due to power outages.
• Minimize flushing toilets, washing dishes, laundry, dishwashers etc. to prevent wastewater backing up.
• If you see water bubbling out of manholes, please report them by calling (727) 464-4000.  

 

Lost Pets

• If you have lost or found a pet, visit pinellas.gov/lost-and-found.
• The Pinellas County Animal Services shelter is closed Friday, Sept. 27, but anticipates opening Saturday morning. At that time, you can visit the Pinellas County Animal Services’ Found Center to check for your lost pet or drop off a found pet at 12450 Ulmerton Road, Largo.
• Found Center hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can check other local animal shelters as well.
• If you find a lost pet on Friday, Sept. 27, you may be able to take it to Tampa Bay Vet Specialists Emergency Center, 1601 S. Belcher Road, Largo. Call first: (727) 531-5752.

 

Get updates on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts by visiting disaster.pinellas.gov, Facebook @PinellasGov and X @PinellasGov; search hashtag #PCHelene.

 

 

 

Stacy O’Donnell Executive Aide, Commissioner Dave Eggers Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 sodonnell@pinellas.gov Office (727) 464-3276   All government correspondence is subject to public record law.

Good morning to everyone!

 

Well, we at least made it through storm!   I know there has been damage sustained throughout the county, but we were all extremely lucky to have NOT taken a direct hit from Helene.   If you sustained damage, I am so very sorry but I am glad you are able to read this.    It is going to take time, patience, and people working together and eventually homes will be repaired, things replaced, and life will return to a new normal.    We will get through this!

 

If you are signed up for alerts, you should have received a notification this morning to remain where you are located until instructed otherwise due to dangerous situations.  Some road conditions are still very dangerous in places throughout the County.  If you don’t need to go out this morning, please remain where you are for a bit.  Crews are out assessing the damage and clearing roads.  The Sheriff’s office has established a unified command to coordinate and continue search and recover efforts as well as working with Duke Energy, FDOT, municipalities, subcontractors, and county crews as they work to remove sand and debris from the roadways.  Please don’t impede this process by going out if you don’t have a valid reason.  

 

Traffic

 

There are still power outages. Some Traffic lights and intersections are not functioning.  Please remember:

 

Flashing Yellow Traffic Signal – Proceed with caution, your direction has the right of away.

 

Flashing Red Traffic Signal – Yield and once it is clear, proceed.  Your direction does NOT have right of way

 

Traffic signal complete out – Treat as an ALL-WAY STOP

 

 

Airports

 

St. Pete Clearwater Airport is still closed.   Tampa International Airport is open and operational.  Passengers with flights out of Tampa should check with the airlines for schedules.

 

 

Duke Energy

 

Power outages are at approx. 40% of customer base is experiencing power outages.  Duke is working to get power restores as soon as they can.  If you have not reported the outage you may want to go online or call the outage line to make sure it has been reported.

 

 

County Office & Parks

 

County offices are closed today.  Pinellas County Parks remain closed until crews are able to complete assessment and remove debris.

 

 

Solid Waste

 

Solid Waste is currently closed to citizens today.  It is only open today to haulers and municipalities only. Solid Waste will open as soon as operationally able.

 

 

After the Storm

 

I have attached a checklist I downloaded from the American Red Cross website that I thought might be helpful for those who may have sustained damage as they work their way after the storm.  I would also suggest you make sure you have a current copy of all your insurance policies and have thoroughly reviewed them.  Also, I would highly recommend you contact your insurance agent to find out exactly what you should be documenting and direction.  I would highly suggest taking pictures and videos of EVERYTHING inside and out before you begin any clean-up. 

 

Please keep referring to www.disaster.pinellas.gov for additional updates as information is available.  I don’t know much I can assist going forward, but please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will try my best to do whatever I can to assist.

 

 

 

Stacy O’Donnell Executive Aide, Commissioner Dave Eggers Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 sodonnell@pinellas.gov Office (727) 464-3276

This is an update from Robin Miller President of The Tampa Bay Beach Chamber.

It is with a heavy heart that I send today's STORM UPDATE.  We know that from Passagrille to Clearwater Beach the impacts are staggering.  We also know the business community is anxious to get out and assess the damages. Please be patient. 

Access to barrier islands remains CLOSED, until further notice

From SHERIFF:
Gulf Boulevard looks like a war zone. It's not passable/dangerous.  There is empathy that you want to get there. At this time it is not safe.   They are working as quickly as possible.
Massive debris all over the islands.

Pinellas County 10:30 Briefing:

• If you do not have to go anywhere, they ask you to stay home
• There is a lot of debris, downed lines, and other damages
• PIE Airport will open today
• All parks are closed
• 5 Fatalities (2 Treasure Island 2 Indian Rocks 1 Dunedin)
• 132 Pump Stations not operable
• Experiencing low press in South County
• Conserve water is key to helping restore systems quickly
• About 40% of customers experience power outages, Duke is responding as quickly as possible

If you need accommodations:  Hurricane Helene Updates and Hotel Availability | Visit St Petersburg Clearwater Florida (visitstpeteclearwater.com)

HOTELS:   Could you please let Visit St. Pete Clearwater know the status (when you are able) of your availability at PR@visitspc.com 
 
Additionally, the Business Damage Assessment Survey is now available
https://floridadisaster.biz/Respond/BusinessDamageAssessmentsSurvey
 

In case you missed it, Linnea Hall of St. Petersburg, FL won our first towel contest. She submitted this photograph of her holding one of our awesome towels the furthest distance from the Tampa Bay Area - in Seattle, WA. That'd be about 2,600 miles away for those of you playing at home.

For her efforts, Ms. Hall won a cool $100. If YOU would like to win $100, enter our current Towel Photo Contest.

Between now and August, send us a photo of as many people as possible standing BEHIND a TBFB towel. At least one arm or one leg or the upper-half or the bottom-half of a body must be covered by the towel.

Sending a photo of planet earth peeking from one side of the towel will result in prolonged public ridicule. Otherwise, the winner and photo will be published in the August newsletter.

Send your photos to editor@tampabayfreebeaches.org.

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