Debris left behind in the aftermath of natural disasters can not only put the health and safety of your community at risk but can also jeopardize the ultimate success of recovery efforts. Failure to appropriately deconstruct, sort, identify, and dispose of disaster-related debris can lead to severe secondary damage to property over time and significantly increase debris removal costs. 

Considering Hurricane Ian’s impact on the state of Florida, this type of work must be done properly.

One often overlooked scenario of debris management is when force account resources are used for debris removal and disposal.

What is force account? Force account is the use of a grantee’s own labor force to carry out a capital project.

FEMA has compiled a list of incurred labor and equipment charges that should be documented when requesting reimbursement. When using force account resources, reference the list below to ensure guidelines are followed properly.

  • Payroll records of full-time and temporary employees working on debris removal operations.
  • Records of Applicant-owned equipment used in debris removal operations, including a record of equipment hours in service, associated equipment rates, and operator name.
  • Invoices of rental equipment used in the debris removal operation.
  • Documentation from permitted final disposal locations, including:
  • Temporary disposal permits from the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) if a temp site is utilized and Municipal Solid Waste Permit number for final disposition.
  • Invoices of disposal tipping fees.
  •  Quantities of debris disposed.
  • Documentation of the location of the debris removal activities demonstrating FEMA debris eligibility and/or documentation certifying that FEMA-eligible debris work was performed.

Not exactly sure where to start with debris management and monitoring? Our team of experts is experienced and trained in debris management and disaster recovery. We can assist communities within 24 hours of notification to proceed.

We’re happy to discuss your needs and how we might be of assistance to you, please contact Chris Denney, Program Manager of Debris.

Learn more about our debris management and monitoring services here.