In response to the storms that struck the area on May 10, causing damage to homes and toppling trees, Okaloosa County announced it will begin removing organic and vegetative storm debris from County-maintained roads starting Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

• This service goes beyond the normal offerings provided by the County.

The debris removal process is expected to take approximately one week, and residents are urged to remain patient as Public Works crews work to collect the debris.

The County’s Road maintenance crews will be performing the work, as the level of damage experienced in parts of Okaloosa County did not necessitate a local declaration of emergency that would have activated a debris contractor following major events such as hurricanes.

Although Okaloosa County was included in the Governor’s state of emergency declaration in Executive Order 24-95, additional steps, including input from multiple agencies and a federal “major disaster” declaration, must be taken before funding is provided for assistance to local governments, individuals, and small businesses. Certain damage assessment thresholds must also be met for these programs to be considered at the state and federal levels, according to the county.

Residents serviced by Waste Management (WM) can have their yard waste collected as part of their regular service collection days. WM requires yard trash that cannot be containerized in bags or cans to be less than 4 inches in diameter, no longer than 6 feet in length, and placed in bundles, piles, or stacks weighing no more than 50 pounds.

For debris along state-designated roadways, such as U.S. Highway 90, State Road 4, and State Road 189, residents should contact the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to coordinate removal.

• Debris along private roadways will need to be contracted by the roadway owner directly with a contractor capable of providing debris removal services.