A.G. Gancarski
Florida has had its fill of lagging debris removal after Hurricane Helene’s devastation, as Hurricane Milton looms over the state’s Gulf Coast.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Florida Department of Emergency Management would “commandeer” debris removal as needed in the hours before a potential Category 4 storm barrels into the Tampa Bay region “just to be able to make sure we have a place to put this stuff.”
The Governor wouldn’t say how much could be removed before Hurricane Milton’s effects become too pronounced for haulers to be in streets picking up limbs and household effects that Helene’s storm surge may have flooded out.
“Hopefully, we can clear it all. I mean, I guess it just depends on, you know, where it’s easy if it’s on a major road, like a kind of like you can go get it. Some of the stuff in the private communities can be a little trickier, but, bottom line is, there’s assets available,” the Governor said.
“There have been some challenges,” said FDEM head Kevin Guthrie, regarding contracts with debris haulers going unfulfilled and “vendors and especially subcontractors that may chase the money then leave.”
DeSantis noted the incoming storm could “produce a lot of debris.” He said local governments had been advised to have their “debris contracts in place and get after it,” but that some made business decisions not to follow through as needed.
“And there’s sometimes where you have the local governments; they don’t want to pay for it even though they’ll get reimbursed and this and that,” DeSantis said, adding that he and Guthrie “were just in Anna Maria Island, and you know, you go down the road, and there’s a lot of debris piled up.”
The Governor also said that a reporter’s assertion that the state had “cut open” the closed landfill in Pinellas was “accurate.”
“The executive order said ’24/7,’ I know Kevin was in contact with the county folks,” DeSantis said. “There was a bunch of state assets that had a lot of debris dump off and it was locked and there was no one there manning it. And so they basically opened it and they did the debris and that’s totally appropriate to be able to do that.”
“We’ve got to redouble the efforts there, and we’re supplementing those efforts in ways that have never been done in the history of the state of Florida,” he added. “And so those debris missions need to be round the clock.”
6 comments
A day without Libturds
October 6, 2024 at 12:06 pm
Great job Ron! Gillum would still be having a party with his male escorts in a Miami hotel at this point.
Bring back common sense, not nonsense
October 6, 2024 at 2:59 pm
Let’s get back to reality here, this is all because of global warming and climate change. A magic eraser cannot fix the problems and eliminate hurricanes. Now a days hurricanes can form in less than 1 day in the gulf, how much more proof do we need? The blue wave is coming
THE SAGE "E" [FKA ELVIS - FKA EARL PITTS AMERICAN]
October 6, 2024 at 12:08 pm
Good Morning Undecided Presidental Voters,
Look at how well Ron can handle any crisis thrown at him. Florida is so blessed to have America’s Govornor.
Now let us contrast Ron’s abilities with the “Bumbiling & Fumbaling” of “THE HARRIS ADMINISTRATION”.
Beloved un-decided voters its more important than ever, with the world “On Fire”, due to “The Harris Administration” that we elect Trump as our POTUS to calm down the “Entire Planet” and pave the way for an 8 year term in The White House for Ron & his beautiful wife Casey Desantis.
Think it over and I, THE SAGE “E” [FKA ELVIS – FKA EARL], know you Beloved Un-Decided Voters will make the only logical choice of voting Trump to keep your families safe from an EVEN DEADLIER HARRIS ADMINISTRATION 2.0,
Thank you, Beloved Un-Decided Voters,
“E”
Barth Gimbal
October 6, 2024 at 12:17 pm
This E dude makes a powerful argument. As an undecided voter I did not feel right about the Democratic or Republican candidate.
But E just got me off the fence. Im going with the Trump/Desantis 12 year plan to save our country and the world.
Barth Gimbal
PeterH
October 6, 2024 at 2:19 pm
The loony toon committee is out in force this morning on Florida Politics. Gotta love MAGA loonies!
Han Costello
October 7, 2024 at 10:29 am
I applaud you sir!
Comments are closed.