Leon County to Begin Storm Debris Collection in Killearn Lakes Area Following April 7 Tornado
In response to the April 7 EF1 tornado in the Killearn Lakes area, Leon County will begin curbside collection of vegetative storm debris for nearby affected residences starting Tuesday, April 15. Residents are encouraged to place storm-related debris at the curb for collection as soon as possible.
Debris Collection Schedule:
- Waste Pro will continue regular yard waste collection on Mondays.
- Leon County will conduct storm debris collection the following day, Tuesdays.
- The County will make three passes over three weeks:
- First Pass: On Tuesday, April 15
- Second Pass: On Tuesday, April 22
- Third Pass: Begins Tuesday, April 29
Important Guidelines for Curbside Debris Placement:
- Place debris between the sidewalk or property line and the curb.
- Keep vegetative debris loose and unbagged.
- Only vegetative storm debris will be collected.
- Exercise caution when moving large or heavy debris.
- If using a tree service or landscape contractor, ensure they haul away any debris they generate. Do not place contractor-generated debris at the curb.
- Do not stack debris near or against sprinkler heads, utility meters, poles, trees, backflows, or other structures.
- Debris trucks will not collect household garbage. Waste Pro will continue collecting trash, recycling, and small yard debris on your regular service days.
Free Debris Drop-Off Option: Leon County is also offering free, no-size-limit drop-off of vegetative debris for affected residents in unincorporated areas through Sunday, April 27, at the following locations. Please note, contractors cannot dispose of storm debris at these sites:
Leon County Solid Waste Management Facility
Rural Waste Service Centers:
- Woodville: 549 Henry Jones Road
- Fort Braden: 2485 East Joe Thomas Road
- Miccosukee: 13051 Miccosukee Road
For more information on vegetative debris collection efforts or hours of operation for waste facilities, visit the County’s Emergency Information Portal at LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.
For questions regarding debris collection in unincorporated Leon County, call 850-606-1500 or submit a request at LeonCountyFL.gov/ServiceRequest.
For media inquiries, contact Leon County Community and Media Relations at CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov.
Tower Road Closure
Tower Road remains closed due to berm erosion caused by recent high water. Crews are working to repair the area. Thank you for your patience as we repair the landing for user safety.
Disaster Planning and Recovery Resources
The following includes a list of resources for disaster planning and recovery resources in Florida:
- FloridaDisaster.org contains a summary of currently open general and special needs shelters within the State of Florida
- The Visit Florida website contains current travel safety information as well as resources for hotel and lodging availability across the state of Florida
- The American Red Cross shelter directory contains a list of currently open American Red Cross shelters across the country.
Other Resources
- Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers. The number is 833-514-2940
- Samaritan's Purse hotline: 1-833-747-1234
- Free Assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster.
- Volunteers may be able to assist with removal of personal property and furniture, flood cleanup, sanitizing with shockwave treatment, chainsaw work & Debris Clean-up, temporary roof tarping.
- 2-1-1 is open and ready to receive calls
- Individuals can call for up-to-the-minute information including school closures and sandbag distributions.
- Local Social Services Referral.
- Red Cross Hotline is open to assist survivors: 1-800-Red Cross
- Florida Baptists Disaster Relief Public Assistance: 904-253-0502 or text Helene to 27123
- Free Assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster.
- Volunteers may be able to assist with Storm Debris Cleanup, Temporary Roof Tarping, Chainsaw work and Muck outs
- Crisis Cleanup number: 844-965-1386
The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) issued Emergency Order 400385-24 to protect policyholders impacted by Hurricane Helene. The order applies to all insurers in the state and policyholders in Alachua, Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Franklin, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. The order:
- Extends grace periods for any policy, provision, notice, correspondence, or law that imposes a time limit upon an insured to perform any act until November 26, 2024.
- Prohibits the cancellation or nonrenewal of a policy in an impacted area, except at the written request of the policyholder, until November 26, 2024.
- Prohibits the cancellation or nonrenewal of a personal residential or commercial residential property insurance policy covering a property repaired as a result of damage from Hurricane Idalia for a period of 90 days after it has been repaired.
- Directs insurers, surplus lines and other regulated entities to implement processes and procedures to facilitate the efficient payment of claims.
Stay Informed
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LeonReady.com – The Leon Ready website is a hub of resources to help you, your family and your neighborhood prepare for disasters. There are a variety of resources available, like the County’s Disaster Survival Guide, a full list of disaster supplies for your disaster bucket, and so much more, to increase your readiness.
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Download the Leon County Citizens Connect Mobile App - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application from the Apple and Google Play stores.
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Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.
- Additionally, iHeartRadio will also provide updates on the following stations: WFLA-FM 100.7, WFLF-FM 94.5, WTNT 94.9, KISS-FM 107.1, X-FM101.5, and The Beat-FM 105.3.
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Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring up-to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible.
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Call 2-1-1 Big Bend - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or 850-617-6333.
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Call 850-606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions about how you should prepare, act and recover.
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For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com
Stay prepared by visiting LeonReady.com for disaster resilience resources and guides.