Hurricanes & Debris

Debris

After a disaster, it is critical for residents to sort debris to expedite debris cleanup throughout the community.  Debris can be separated into the following piles:

• Household garbage — bagged regular household trash, discarded food; wood, drywall, carpet, furniture; televisions, radios, computers;
• Household hazardous waste — motor oil, batteries, bug sprays;
• Vegetation debris — tree branches, leaves, logs;
• "White" goods — refrigerators, washers and dryers, air conditioners;
• Orphan containers — butane or propane tanks, chlorine cylinders.

For more information about Unincorporated Seminole County Solid Waste collection, visit seminolecountyfl.gov/solidwaste.

Gated Communities

Each year, Seminole County Office of Emergency Management notifies homeowners associations, debris removal from private roadways (specifically, gated communities) may not be eligible for public assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This means that if a disaster strikes in a community with private roadways, the debris resulting from the disaster might not be removed by a government agency.

As with most policies, there are exemptions to FEMA’s policy on debris removal from private roadways. Should FEMA determine that disaster debris on private roadways is eligible for removal, written permission to enter private roadways must be granted to Seminole County by the legal owner or their legal designee prior to debris removal.

Because Seminole County has many private roadways, we are asking HOA representatives, that have the authority to execute the agreements on roadways, grant written permission of entry prior to a disaster occurring. If the individual property owners own the road, then the property owners must grant access prior to debris removal occurring after a disaster.  Establishing a plan now on how you and your community will recover from a disaster should be top priority, and Seminole County is ready to assist.

This letter includes the Right of Entry (ROE) and Hold Harmless Agreement (HHA) documents that must be signed by the roadways legal owner or their legal designee. This document must be returned to the Office of Emergency Management.

Office of Emergency Management
150 Eslinger Way
Sanford, Fl 32773

Signing the ROE/HHA form does not guarantee debris removal services; it merely fulfills one portion of FEMA requirements to remove debris from private roadways.  Seminole County reserves the right to determine whether or not disaster debris poses a threat to the overall health and safety of the community and reserves the right to determine whether to initiate emergency County debris removal.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 407-665-5102. We appreciate your participation as Seminole County prepares our residents for disasters each hurricane season.

Debris Management Right of Entry Form

Please complete the form above and send to: ROE@seminolecountyfl.gov