FLORENCE, SC – The City of Florence is moving forward with its #NextPhaseFlorence Hurricane Matthew clean-up efforts after inclement weather conditions last week.

“The storm didn’t really add any additional clean-up that we could tell but it did slow down the process because those contractors had been working seven days a week,” said City of Florence Public Works Director Chuck Pope.

Neighborhoods near Cherokee Road in Florence are still littered with debris.So far contractors have collected nearly two thousand truckloads of storm debris like tree stumps and tree limbs.

The latest updates include storm debris removal by zone, collection reminders, and FEMA Debris Removal Guidelines.

  • Beginning on Monday, January 9, 2016, contractors will begin a second pass in Zones 1, 3, 4 & 6.  Contractors are still working to complete the first pass in Zones 2 & 5.  To date, contractors have collected 1,881 truck loads of storm debris totaling 93,216 cubic yards.
  • Residents are reminded that the city will complete a total of three passes in each assigned work zone. As debris is removed, residents are encouraged to move debris to the right-of-way that you may not have been able to get to the street during the initial sweep due to space limitations.  Residents are also reminded that debris must not be co-mingled for collection.
  • To expedite debris removal, please refer to FEMA Debris Removal guidelines, which specifies how debris must be separated.

City officials say the price tag for debris removal and clean-up totals $2 million dollars.

Pope says most of what is left across neighborhoods in Florence is vegetative debris,

“We will be going hard especially this week, it looks like the weather will cooperate and it will be a good time to get out and make up some past delays but as far as the city and the weather this weekend, we probably got fortunate and got lucky with that, it was pretty to see a few snowflakes but didn’t impact additional debris,” said Pope.

Pope says moving forward crews will began making second passes through residential areas to pick up debris moved to curb sides.

To stay up to date with all of the latest information regarding #NextPhaseFlorence, please visit the page on our website dedicated to the clean up efforts. You can also follow the City of Florence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  If city residents have concerns regarding contractor debris removal, please contact the City Administration Office at 843-665-3113 or email the City at NextPhaseFlorence@CityofFlorence.com.-This is from a Press Release.