Hamilton County will begin curbside collection of flood debris Monday, and officials are asking residents in flood-damaged neighborhoods to spend the weekend dragging ruined material out to the curb and sorting it as they go.
“Weekend warriors, this is your chance to help us move this recovery forward,” said Hamilton County Commissioner Christine Altman. “Get the debris out of your homes and yards, get it to the curb, and most importantly, keep it separated. The better job we do on the front end, the faster these crews can move through our neighborhoods and get this material out of here.”
Residents should stack debris in separate piles by category:
- Electronics — televisions, computers and other electronic equipment
- Vegetative debris — trees, limbs, bushes, leaves and other vegetation
- Construction debris — drywall, lumber, carpet, furniture and other building materials
- Sandbags — kept apart from everything else
- Large appliances — refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves and similar units
- Household hazardous waste — paint, oil, batteries, pesticides and cleaning supplies
Crews cannot come onto private property to retrieve debris, so everything must be placed along the public right-of-way. Piles should not block the roadway, utility boxes, poles, fire hydrants, meters or other structures.
CrowderGulf, an Alabama-based disaster recovery and debris management company, has been contracted to handle the collection. Trucks and crews are traveling to Hamilton County and are expected to arrive throughout the weekend.
The county has also hired Tidal Basin Group to monitor and document the removal, tracking debris from the curb through delivery to the appropriate disposal facility. That paperwork matters: it is the basis for Hamilton County’s reimbursement claim under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program.
“We are being very deliberate about how we do this,” said Chad Knecht, executive director of Hamilton County Emergency Operations. “We want the cleanup done quickly, but we also have a responsibility to taxpayers to document these costs properly and recover every federal dollar for which Hamilton County may be eligible.”
Debris that residents haul off and dispose of on their own will not be reimbursed through the county program.
CrowderGulf will work in specific zones beginning on or after Monday, Aug. 24. Residents who believe they were missed by Thursday, Aug. 27, or who need help getting flood debris to the curb, can call 317-645-3261.
Meanwhile, private relief efforts are adding to the recovery. Delta Faucet Company, the Indianapolis-based kitchen and bath products manufacturer, is donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross Indiana Region, which serves more than 6.9 million people across 104 counties with shelter, hot meals, emergency supplies and emotional support after disasters. “Our efforts won’t end with this donation,” said Stacy Mowrer, the company’s senior vice president of human resources, noting that Delta Faucet is starting its annual September Month of Service early so employees can volunteer on flood recovery. Terry Stigdon, CEO of the American Red Cross Indiana Region, said the gift “empowers Red Cross volunteers to deliver critical help to people who need it.”
The county said additional information on collection schedules and recovery efforts will be released as the operation progresses.