MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HURRICANE IRMA RECOVERY UPDATE

DOG PARK

The dog park is now open at Monroe County’s Higgs Beach in Key West. For now, the entrance is through the gated antenna site off of White Street. Visitors will need to stay within the barricaded areas. The Atlantic Boulevard entrance and the rest of Higgs Beach remain closed at this time.

DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER

A new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center will open Sunday at Fire Station #20 in Islamorada, next to Founders Park. The hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

COMCAST

Comcast reports that it continues to add more crews into the Keys to restore service. On Thursday, Comcast restored 500 more customers.

DEBRIS REMOVAL

Through Sept. 28, more than 64,000 cubic yards of vegetative, constructive and demolition debris has been removed from Unincorporated Monroe County. There are now 48 trucks operating. There also has been 518 “white goods removed. White goods include appliances.

TARPS

Tarps will be distributed Saturday morning (Sept. 30) until supplies run out at Fausto’s, 522 Fleming Street in Key West.

On Tuesday, Oct. 3, 120 tarps will be distributed at the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West. Call ahead: 305-294-1018.

LIBRARIES

Monroe County’s Key West Library branch reopened Sept. 29. But the library services are currently limited, with the Reference Department still closed for renovations that were taking place before the storm struck.

The library currently has four 20-minute computers for Patrons to use, with one computer designated only for “FEMA” applications.

Please note that due to Hurricane Irma, the library’s back parking lot is unavailable for public parking. The library staff is looking forward to having their patrons back.

Monroe County’s Marathon Library branch remains closed.

Monroe County’s Key Largo, Islamorada and Big Pine branches have been open since Sept. 25.

RECYCLING

Regularly scheduled recycling collection from Marathon to Stock Island will resume Friday, Sept. 29.

Key Largo, Islamorada and all other areas of unincorporated Monroe County had regularly scheduled recycling collection begin earlier this week.

On Saturday, Sept. 30, Monroe County will hold a special hazardous waste collection from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Public Works Yard, 10500 Aviation Blvd., Marathon. This collection also is for electronic waste, such as old cellphones, printers, computers, TVs and the like.

Household hazardous wastes are products often found in your garage, sheds, storage areas, or under your kitchen sink. They are corrosive, flammable, reactive, or toxic. These chemicals can contaminate our drinking water as well as Monroe County’s sensitive ecosystem. It is incredibly important to dispose these chemicals properly.

For Key West, beginning Monday, Oct. 2, Waste Management will resume normal pickup collection of recycling and yard waste.