An armada of crews, volunteers ready to clean-up July 4th trash on Volusia beaches

DAYTONA BEACH  ―  Despite state law that allows fireworks on July 4^th, they are always illegal on Volusia County beaches, but if history is any indication that won’t stop thousands of amateurs from setting them off along the shore to celebrate Tuesday’s holiday.

That means that a massive cleanup effort will be underway starting at dawn on Wednesday to remove tons of trash and fireworks debris to leave the beach clean for yet another throng of visitors.

At the heart of the post-July 4^th cleanup will be an armada of crews and heavy equipment from Central Florida Bobcat Outdoors, the DeLand-based company that is contracted to clean the county’s 47 miles of shoreline year-round.

“This is the biggest day for cleanup of the year,” said Ben Hester, the company’s owner. Memorial Day weekend is the runner-up, he said, but without the workload created by fireworks debris that litters the sand in the wake of Independence Day.

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Here’s what’s involved with cleaning up the July 4^th aftermath:

For cleanup company, trash pickup can be two-day job

For Central Florida Bobcat, crews arrive at Sun Splash Park, 611 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, at roughly 5:45 a.m. Wednesday.

For the July 4^th cleanup, the company deploys about 50 or 60 crew members, augmented by six flatbed trailer trucks and 14 roving carts to cover the beach, Hester said. The company also stations dumpsters for beach trash at seven county-operated beach parks along State Road A1A.

Work by crew members on rover carts is typically completed by midday, but the thousands of pounds of trash must then be hauled to the company’s DeLand headquarters to be unloaded. It’s the same drill for those additional beach park dumpsters, a process that could extend into Thursday, Hester said.

Volunteers welcome to help with July 4th cleanup

Volusia County is encouraging volunteers to help with the massive cleanup.

There’s an organized beach cleanup slated for 8-10 a.m. Wednesday at Winterhaven Park, 4589 S. Atlantic Ave., in Ponce Inlet. Those attending are asked to bring a bucket or trash bag, grabbers and gloves if possible.

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Unlike previous years, there won’t be multiple county-organized cleanup events on Wednesday. Instead, officials recommend that those interested in helping walk their favorite stretch of beach Wednesday to collect and dispose of the holiday litter.

The trash can be tossed into one of the 1,500 trash receptacles placed along the beach or bagged and disposed at home. Trash bags are available upon request at all tollbooths and roving carts will be out on the beach to assist.

The fewer number of organized cleanups reflects the fact that in past years more volunteers arrived independently to help than participated in the planned events, said David Hunt, county spokesman.

Sheriff's Office now handling beach law enforcement

Enforcement of the county ordinance banning fireworks on the beach will be handled by the Volusia Sheriff's Office, not county-run Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, this holiday weekend.

That reflects a new state law that says a county government may not maintain a police department to provide service in unincorporated areas that include Volusia’s beaches. That authority rests with the sheriff, according to the law.

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Beach Safety will continue to handle rescues, medical and water-related issues, said Tammy Maphurs, Beach Safety Ocean Rescue deputy chief.

For the holiday weekend, lifeguards have rescued 140 people from the ocean through Monday morning, Malphurs said. Beach Safety is flying the red flag for hazardous rip current conditions, a status that will extend through Tuesday's holiday, she said.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has been busy on social media, reminding beachgoers, residents and visitors that Sheriff’s deputies and other local law enforcement agencies will be out in force to enforce traffic laws and promote safety.

“When you come down to the beach, keep in mind fireworks are illegal on the beach,” Chitwood said in a video on social media. “And when you leave our beautiful beach, leave nothing but your footprints.”

Over the holiday weekend, the Sheriff’s Office has opened a nuisance hotline for reports of fireworks complaints, 386-248-1777, Option 4.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: July 4th crowds will mean massive cleanup after on Volusia beaches