Tulare County partners with CalOES and FEMA to clean up damages and debris from the most recent flood
TULARE COUNTY – After a series of rain storms swept through the county, many residents were faced with debris after the flooding of their homes. This led the county to create a clean up program.
Tulare County is launching a debris removal program for residents who have been impacted by flooding. They will be in partnership with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They have established a program where residents can set out their debris and damaged furniture, and then county staff will remove it from their property and dispose of it in bins. Residents are encouraged to place any debris related to the recent flooding events curbside at the edge of the road in front of their homes in an area that will not impede traffic or cause a road hazard.
The county has debris removal guidelines that residents will follow for safety measures as well, which are:
- Place debris away from trees, poles, fire hydrants, meters or other structures
- Do not touch, cut, remove or place debris on downed power lines
The county also asked residents to separate debris into the following categories:
- Large appliances (stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer/dryer)
- Electronics (television, computer, stereo)
- Vegetative debris (tree branches, leaves, logs, plants)
- Construction debris (drywall, lumber, carpet, furniture, plumbing)
- Hazardous waste (oil, paint, pesticide, batteries, cleaning supplies)
They have advised residents to avoid placing debris near or on trees, poles or other structures that make removal difficult. This includes fire hydrants and meters. They also said to avoid placing debris near utility boxes or on lines that can cause injury or damage.
Some cities are implementing similar clean up programs for residents as well, such as Woodlake, who experienced extreme flooding in their homes. Woodlake’s city manager Ramon Lara said that staff cannot enter people’s homes due to liability reasons. However, if residents get their debris outside, city staff will help with the rest.
