Sort, then stack
The county hauls storm trash faster when it is sorted. The set groups: green (limbs, brush, leaves), build trash (roof bits, drywall, boards, fence), white goods (fridges, washers — tape doors shut), gadgets, and hazard goods (paint, fuel, cells — never in the main pile). Mixed piles get skipped. Sorted piles get hauled.
Where it goes
Set trash at the curb edge — not in the road, not on hydrants or power boxes, not under low wires where the claw can't reach. Keep it clear of mail posts, fences, and ditches. After a big storm the county posts haul days and drop sites at myescambia.com. Check there. Don't guess.
Stay safe
Wear thick gloves, boots, eye gear, long sleeves. Storm trash hides nails, glass, and snakes. Don't burn trash — burn bans tend to rule after storms, and smoke harms lungs. Don't cut trees on wires — call the power firm. Chain saws maim more home folks after storms than most things. If you lack the skill and gear, hire it.
Hired hauling
For big loads or what the county won't take, haul firms can help. Get a written price before one branch loads — per load or per job, in ink. Tree and haul crews on your land should be licensed and insured. Check at myfloridalicense.com. Read the scam guide — trash scams (cash now, puffed loads) spike after each storm.
Photo it first
Trash is proof too. Photo the harm — trees on roofs, dead fences — before the clear, with the photo list. Your insurer and maybe FEMA want to see what the storm did, not just a clean yard.