The most dangerous part of a hurricane is often the week after it. Post-storm injuries — electrocution, chainsaw accidents, falls, heat illness — hurt more Floridians than many landfalls do. Slow down and work this order.
Assume every downed line is energized — even if the neighborhood is dark. Lines hide under vegetation and standing water carries current. Don't move limbs touching any wire; report and stay clear. Watch overhead too: broken limbs ("widow-makers") drop hours or days later.
Photograph and video everything — roof, fence, pool cage, lanai, flooded rooms, the tree on the shed — before cleanup starts. Wide shots and close-ups. Your insurance claim is only as strong as your documentation, and debris moved before it's photographed is damage you may not get paid for.
Real boots, gloves, long sleeves, eye protection. Storm debris is nails, glass, and splintered wood soup. If a chainsaw is involved and you don't run one regularly, hire it out — post-storm chainsaw injuries are an emergency-room staple. And pace the heat: work mornings, drink constantly, take real breaks. September cleanup in Florida is endurance work.
Floodwater is not rainwater — it carries sewage, fuel, and chemicals. Soaked drywall, carpet, and insulation come out (mold starts within 48 hours) and get handled with gloves. Cut drywall above the water line, bag what you can, and stage it for removal. Wet debris is also heavy — soaked carpet can weigh 3–4× dry, which matters for tonnage.
Separate piles: vegetative debris (county programs usually want it at the curb, unbagged), construction debris (fence, roofing, pool cage — private roll-off territory), and appliances/hazardous items (special handling). Sorting now is the setup for Lesson 4: who hauls what, and who pays.
Related: storm debris service · prep plan · book a bin.
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