Fort Bend County HS&EMFort Bend County HS&EM

Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management

Debris

Bagged Debris is Allowed in Fort Bend County

FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS — Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert has amended the debris permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and has verbal approval from FEMA to allow the County to pick up bagged debris.

“We are sorry for any frustration this has caused our residents; we heard you and have negotiated with the TCEQ and FEMA for an amended permit and a simpler process. As of 1:45 pm today, we have approval to haul bagged debris.” says Judge Hebert, “If you have already bagged your debris, just leave it on the curb to be picked up. The crews today and tomorrow may not be able to get it since it requires different equipment to pick up bagged debris, but we will come by to pick it up later.” As before, place household trash in your regular bin for pickup, as we cannot take household trash to the debris disposal sites.

If your cars are parked on the street the trucks will not be able to pick up your debris. Please move your vehicles off the street so the trucks can pick up your debris.

Debris removal equipment will cover the affected areas of the county several times over the coming weeks. If your neighborhood has not seen the debris trucks yet, you will soon. If you are not able to get your debris to the curb yet, the trucks will be by a few more times to pick it up and haul it away.

Remember that all debris has to be separated. The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management has information posted on their website about debris separation; residents should check this flyer to ensure their debris is properly sorted so it can be hauled away as quickly and cleanly as possible.

If you need assistance cleaning your house after the floods, call CrisisCleanup at 844-965-1386 to request a volunteer team to come help you. If you are able to help your neighbors with cleanup, the safest and most efficient way to get connected is through Volunteer Houston, or another cleanup organization you may already have a relationship with. More information about getting help with clean-up or volunteering to help others with clean-up can be found at http://FortBendRecovers.org.

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Hurricane Harvey Debris Pick-up in Fort Bend County

FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS — Fort Bend County residents affected by Hurricane Harvey and the recent floodwaters are hard at work cleaning out their homes and property after the storm. County Emergency Management Officials will begin collecting residents storm debris starting this week.

The County will coordinate debris removal efforts for all unincorporated areas and with our partnering jurisdictions. It is important that residents abide by the debris sorting guidelines provided at http://fbceom.org/debris. These guidelines include separating your debris into categories (Separating Your Debris) never using trash or plastic bags for this debris, placing debris piles at the curb or roads edge, and restrictions on county officials entering private property.

“Please put your debris as close to the curb and the sidewalk as you possibly can.”, said Marc Grant, Fort Bend County’s Debris Management Coordinator, “If you put it past the sidewalk, we cannot go on private property to pick up your debris. If you have more debris past the sidewalk we will pick up as much as we can and then we will have to come back once you’ve moved the rest of your debris to the curb line.”

Grant added that if you have a roadside ditch in front of your property, follow similar guidelines but treat the ditch like you would the sidewalk. Place your debris along the roadside so that it does not impede traffic or the flow of water in the bottom of the ditch. Items that are on your private property side will not be picked up on the first trip through by our trucks, but we will return once you have moved the remaining debris out to the roadside.

The restriction of the use of trash bags to contain the debris is something many residents may not know. Storm debris is compiled and processed differently than normal household garbage, and bagged storm debris will not be picked up by county debris removal trucks. If you have already placed debris at your roadside, please reference the guidelines at fbceom.org and remove trash bags from these debris piles.

It is also important not to park vehicles in locations that block our access to debris piles. If a vehicle is parked on a roadside in front of a debris pile, workers will have to move on and return at a later date to retrieve the debris.

Fort Bend County officials will be working hard for many weeks to collect and properly dispose of the Hurricane Harvey debris. We greatly appreciate your help in making this process a success.

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Document your Damage / Documente su Daño

You CAN start cleaning up your home before FEMA arrives to do an inspection, however you MUST document EVERYTHING!  The information is critical for estimating and verifying damage.  Also, make sure you back your photos up somewhere such as a cloud drive or external hard drive.  If the photos are lost or compromised, you may not receive FEMA assistance.

Helpful Tips on Documenting Damage

  • Take photos before cleaning up
  • Take pictures of the debris piles during and after cleanup
  • Save a sample of wet carpet and pad underneath
  • Leave up a sheet of drywall for reference
  • Take a photo of the model numbers of all damaged appliances

 

 

Documente su Daño!

PUEDE comenzar a limpiar su casa antes de que FEMA llegue para hacer una inspección, sin embargo DEBE documentar TODO! La información es crítica para estimar y verificar el daño. Además, asegúrese de respaldar sus fotos en algún lugar como una unidad de nube o disco duro externo. Si las fotos se pierden o se ponen en peligro, es posible que no reciba asistencia de FEMA.

Consejos útiles para documentar los daños

  • Tomar fotos antes de limpiar
  • Tomar fotografías de las pilas de desechos durante y después de la limpieza
  • Guardar una muestra de alfombra húmeda y almohadilla debajo
  • Deje una hoja de yeso para referencia
  • Tomar una foto de los números de modelo de todos los electrodomésticos dañados

 

Enter Damaged Property Safely / Introduzca la propiedad dañada de forma segura

Residents should be aware of safety risks both seen and unseen as they begin the re-entry process and start to assess the damage to their neighborhoods and homes. Remember, if your home was flooded you must take special precautions to have utilities restored like electricity and gas.  Check out the information below for safety tips on re-entering your home after a flood. Check out a few Do’s and Do Not’s for Entering Damaged Property Below. 

   DO: 

  • Make sure the property is safe before you enter.
  • Avoid direct contact with remaining standing water.
  • Have a flashlight ready when entering your building.
  • Before entering, turn off the electrical supply to your building at the breaker box. If there is evidence of water inside the breaker box or signs of electrical arcing, call and electrician and do not enter your building.
  • If you have been able to turn off the electrical supply, unplug damaged electrical appliances (including dishwashers, washers, driers – anything you can unplug) and move any portable appliances away from flooded areas.
  • Arrange for other services, such as gas, to be switched off. They should remain off until a professional has advised you that it is safe to turn them back on.
  • If you have any doubts about safety, have your home inspected by a professional before entering.
  • Check food and water supplies prior to consumption. Throw out all food that has been in contact with flood waters or spoiled. When in doubt, throw it out!
  • Save any documentation of expenses associated with returning home and cleanup.

 

Do Not 

  • Use candles to light up your property – they can be a fire hazard.
  • Use any electrical appliances powered by plugs in your building until a registered electrician has told you it is safe to do so.
  • Go near any exposed wiring – it may still be live.

What to Look for on Damaged Property

Checking your damaged property can be dangerous and upsetting.  Take some time to review the checklist below for tips on how to check your damaged property.

  • Begin with the exterior of the building and check from the ground up.
  • Check foundations for any obvious signs of damage.
  • Look for washouts around footings or cracks in walls that may indicate the foundation has settled.
  • Use caution when removing debris from around footings as this may conceal displaced wildlife or deep washouts.
  • Check for any damage to the roof or any loose debris that might fall.
  • When checking a building’s interior, look for signs of water damage on floors, walls, and ceilings.
  • Look for water marks on any surface, they are an indication of a damage.

Be sure to document all damage and take photos for use when contacting your insurance agent and FEMA.

Check out the Recovery Page on the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management website at http://fbcoem.org/recovery-resources/ for resources to help you recover from Hurricane Harvey.

 

 

Los residentes deben ser conscientes de los riesgos de seguridad visto e invisible al comenzar el proceso de reingreso y comenzar a evaluar el daño a sus vecindarios y hogares. Recuerde, si su casa fue inundada debe tomar precauciones especiales para tener las utilidades restauradas como la electricidad y el gas. Echa un vistazo a la información a continuación para obtener consejos de seguridad al volver a entrar en su casa después de una inundación. Echa un vistazo a unos pocos hacer y no hacer para entrar en la propiedad dañada a continuación.

HACER:

  • Asegúrese de que la propiedad sea segura antes de entrar.
  • Evite el contacto directo con el agua estancada restante.
  • Tenga una linterna lista al entrar en su edificio.
  • Antes de entrar, apague el suministro eléctrico de su edificio en la caja del interruptor. Si hay evidencia de agua dentro de la caja del interruptor o señales de arco eléctrico, llame al electricista y no entre en su edificio.
  • Si ha podido apagar el suministro eléctrico, desenchufe los electrodomésticos dañados (incluyendo lavavajillas, lavadoras, secadoras – cualquier cosa que pueda desenchufar) y mueva cualquier aparato portátil lejos de las áreas inundadas.
  • Hacer arreglos para que otros servicios, tales como gas, se apaguen. Deben permanecer apagados hasta que un profesional le ha aconsejado que es seguro volverlos a encender.
  • Si tiene alguna duda sobre la seguridad, pida que su hogar sea inspeccionado por un profesional antes de entrar.
  • Revisar los suministros de alimentos y agua antes del consumo. Tire todos los alimentos que han estado en contacto con las aguas de inundación o estropeado. ¡En caso de duda, tíralo!
  • Guarde cualquier documentación de los gastos asociados con el regreso a casa y la limpieza.

No Haga:

  • Use velas para iluminar su propiedad – pueden ser un riesgo de incendio.
  • Utilice cualquier electrodoméstico alimentado por enchufes en su edificio hasta que un electricista registrado le haya dicho que es seguro hacerlo.
  • Ir cerca de cualquier cableado expuesto – todavía puede estar en vivo.

 

 

Separating Your Debris / Separando Sus Escombros

Individual jurisdictions are responsible for coordinating debris pickup in your area.  They should inform your area with their debris plans once they have been initiated but you can contact your city’s Public Works department for information on their progress. Unincorporated areas can contact the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management. As a side note, make sure when they do decide to pick up in your area that you move any cars off the street.  If there is a vehicle in the way, they will not pick up your debris.  See the flyer below for information on how to separate your debris.

Tires cannot be picked up with debris.

Accepted Not Accepted
  • Vegetative Debris (leaves, logs, plants, tree branchs)
  • Construction & Demolition Debris (building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, mattresses, plumbing
  • Appliances & White Goods (air conditioners, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters
  • Electronics (computers, radios, stereos, televisions, other devices with a cord)
  • Household Hazardous Waste (cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemicals, oils, oil-based paints and stains, pesticides)
  • Normal Household Trash
  • Tires 

 

Las jurisdicciones individuales son responsables de coordinar la recolección de escombros en su área. Deben informar a su área con sus planes de desechos una vez que se han iniciado, pero puede ponerse en contacto con el departamento de Obras Públicas de su ciudad para obtener información sobre su progreso. Las áreas no incorporadas pueden contactar a la Oficina de Administración de Emergencias del Condado de Fort Bend. Como una nota de lado, asegúrese de que cuando se deciden a recoger en su área que se mueven los coches de la calle. Si hay un vehículo en el camino, no recoger sus escombros. Consulte el folleto a continuación para obtener información sobre cómo separar los desechos.