Debris collection from Hurricane Ian in unincorporated Brevard enters homestretch

Brevard County officials say that vegetative debris collections from Hurricane Ian are complete in the southern half of unincorporated Brevard.

They could be completed in the harder-hit northern half of the county by the end of next week, according to Solid Waste Management Department Director Thomas Mulligan.

So far, more than 129,000 cubic yards of such debris has been collected — enough to fill 39 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Applying for FEMA aid: Brevard residents with Hurricane Ian damage can apply for assistance through FEMA

Disaster center opens: FEMA opens disaster recovery center in Mims to help people affected by Hurricane Ian

Two contractors have been designated to do the work. Crowder Gulf was assigned the south portion of the county, generally south of Pineda Causeway, while Ashbritt was assigned the north portion.

A map of the status of debris collection in various areas of Brevard can be viewed by going to brevardfl.gov/SolidWaste, then clicking on "Storm Debris Pickup Status."

Anyone in unincorporated Brevard who has been missed for such collections can call the Solid Waste Management Department at 321-633-2042.

Residents of Brevard's 16 cities and towns should check with their municipalities on their debris cleanup status.

After crossing the state from the Fort Myers area, Ian passed through Brevard County the morning of Sept. 29 as a tropical storm, with sustained winds of about 65 mph.

In other Ian-related developments:

FEMA assistance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has received 7,680 valid registrations from Brevard County residents for individual assistance so far, and has approved $2.68 million in individual aid, according to FEMA spokeswoman Jann Tracey.

FEMA on Oct. 21 opened a disaster recover center at the Cuyler Community Building at Cuyler Park, 2331 Harry T. Moore Ave., Mims. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Representatives from the state of Florida, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other entities are at the center to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest disaster loans. They also can help residents apply for federal disaster assistance.

Tracey said, as of Wednesday, 108 residents have visited the center in Mims since it opened.

Residents are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

To register, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.

Help is available in multiple languages, and phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

FEMA can provide financial help with temporary housing expenses, basic home repairs and other essential disaster-related needs that are not covered by insurance.

There are several ways to apply, including:

• Online at disasterassistance.gov/

• Downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices.

• Calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

County officials also are advising residents that, if their claim for individual assistance was denied because their application was submitted before Brevard County was approved for FEMA individual assistance on Oct. 11, they still may be eligible for assistance.

The county said FEMA can manually adjust the affected residents' application.

To resubmit an application, residents must visit the disaster recovery center or call the FEMA disaster assistance hotline.

County seeks help for cleanup costs

The Brevard County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution declaring that it in the public interest to remove storm debris from certain public and private rights of way in the county.

The resolution authorized Mulligan to request that FEMA approve this removal. That would make the county eligible for federal reimbursement for cleanup costs.

In his agenda report to commissioners, Mulligan said, for most such emergencies, a county would be responsible for 12.5% of debris removal costs.

"As a general rule, FEMA will not provide reimbursement for the removal of debris from private property, including commercial property, as well as private roads located within gated communities," Mulligan said in his report. "However, if debris on private property is so widespread that it threatens public health and safety or the economic recovery of the community, then FEMA may provide reimbursement for this type of debris removal, if certain conditions are met."

Those conditions include the county submitting a written request to FEMA and getting approval from the agency.

In its resolution, the County Commission said it "finds that the disaster-generated debris is so widespread that the removal is in the public interest, and not merely benefiting an individual or a limited group of individuals within the community."

Commissioners said in the resolution that "the large amounts of disaster-related debris located on public right-of-ways and certain private road right-of-ways poses an immediate threat to life, public health and safety, welfare of the community and that it is in the public interest for the county to remove such debris, including within gated communities in unincorporated and incorporated Brevard County without delay."

Mosquito control

Since Sept. 30, the Brevard County Mosquito Control Department has sprayed 250,000 acres to help stop the proliferation of mosquitoes in storm-drenched areas.

It also has treated 1,500 acres of floodwaters and stocked 13,500 native mosquitofish. Those fish are used in mosquito control programs because they eat mosquito larvae when they hatch from the eggs laid by mosquitoes.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.

Support local journalism and journalists like me. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Hurricane Ian debris getting collected in unincorporated Brevard