Hurricane Irma Debris Removal Update
There is a coordinated effort underway to remove storm related debris left behind by Hurricane Irma. Crews have removed a total of 22,746 cubic yards of debris but there is a long way to go. There is an estimated 325,000 cubic yards of debris on the ground within the Lakeland city limits as a result of Hurricane Irma. To put this in perspective, the City of Lakeland’s Division of Solid Waste collects a total of 107,000 cubic yards of debris each year. The amount of debris left from Hurricane Irma would take three (3) years to collect under normal operations. There are 35 FEMA contract crews that are working seven days per week from 7 AM - 7 PM. The FEMA contractors are assigned to a particular zone and each quadrant of the City is covered. There are 15- 20 additional FEMA contractors that are expected be moving debris by early next week.