Damage in Gulfport from Hurricane Irma in 2017. If another storm comes through, City officials have taken further steps to keep things running as smoothly as possible.
The Gabber file photo
If Gulfport gets another storm like Hurricane Irma, the City wants to be more prepared.
At its regular meeting on May 17, Gulfport Council approved a resolution regarding a cooperative purchasing agreement with Southern Disaster Recovery for debris collection and removal services. According to a City staff report, this is for services that would be needed in the wake of a natural disaster for which cleanup and recovery activities are beyond the capabilities of existing City staff and mutual aid assistance.
“Hurricanes and tornadoes can generate thousands of tons of debris and severely impact the City’s ability to provide normal public services,” officials noted, adding that the agreement is intended “to ensure that the residents have their quality of life restored as quickly as possible.”
Southern Disaster Recovery is being added to a list of contractors for emergency debris collection and recovery-based on provisions in a current contract with Lake County. This gives the City four potential contractors who could be utilized, according to officials. The new agreement will expire in May of next year.
The total cost of disaster recovery activities cannot be determined in advance, and costs would be incurred upon a formal request from the City to the firm providing the service. The City would then be responsible to pay the costs incurred in response to the disaster.
Officials said this would normally not occur until there has been a disaster declaration by state and federal governments. Depending on the severity of the debris generating event, expenses may be reimbursable through FEMA.
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