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Hurricane Nicole: Recovery, Updates and Information

Volusia County’s emergency management officials continue to monitor impacts from Hurricane Nicole. Here’s the latest information from the Emergency Operations Center.

Hurricane Nicole impacted Volusia County as a tropical storm with strong, sustained winds and gusts of 70 mph in some areas. Even though the storm has left the area, the danger remains. Many roads are flooded, powerlines are down, and many oceanfront properties are at risk for collapse.

“The structural damage along our coastline is unprecedented,” said County Manager George Recktenwald. “We have never experienced anything like this before, so we ask for your patience as we make our assessments. As always, the safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority. This is going to be a long road to recovery.”

Bridges and Roads

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has ordered the closure of all bridges to the beachside with the exception of the North and South Causeways in New Smyrna Beach. Only essential personnel are allowed to cross the closed bridges until further notice.

Avoid unnecessary driving

Except for evacuations, residents are advised to shelter in place and stay off the roads until notified that it’s safe to go out. Standing water, downed trees and other debris could make roads dangerous and impassible. Not only that, but at some point during the storm, emergency crews may not be able to respond to calls. Residents are advised to shelter in place and stay off the roads until notified that it’s safe to go out.

Traffic signals

Some traffic signals may not be operating. If you approach an intersection that is not operable, you must treat it as a four-way stop.

Curfew

Volusia County has declared a curfew in incorporated and unincorporated areas east of the Intracoastal Waterway from 11:22 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, through 7 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11. The curfew does not apply to regular members of law enforcement and regular employees of local businesses, industries and governmental entities while traveling to and from their jobs. All emergency workers are exempt, provided they have identification if stopped by law enforcement personnel.

Downed power lines and outages

As of 11 a.m., nearly 35,000 Volusia County homes and businesses were without power.

If you see a downed line, assume that it’s electrified and don’t touch it or go near it.

If you see a downed line, assume that it’s electrified and don’t touch it or go near it. Report it to your power company as well as the Citizens Information Center at 866-345-0345.

To report power outages or downed power lines, contact your electric provider:

After the Storm Assistance and Information:

Garbage and Recycling

UNINCORPORATED VOLUSIA – Regular waste collection service for the unincorporated areas of Volusia County will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Collection hours have been modified to begin at 5 a.m. and will be complete by 4 p.m.

Waste collection services for the unincorporated areas of Volusia County, normally scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10, will be canceled. Residents should not place waste receptacles or yard trash at the curb on this date.

A makeup day for Thursday collection has been tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 12, weather permitting. The makeup day is only for those residents who missed collection on Thursday. Residents are encouraged to check Volusia.org/pin for the latest updates.

DAYTONA BEACH – Residential and commercial garbage collections will continue today and will be suspended for Thursday. Collection for Thursday’s route will be Friday, and Friday collections will be Saturday. Residents are encouraged to bring their garbage cans and recycling bins inside their garage or secured for the duration of the storm. Normal collections are expected to resume Monday.

ORMOND BEACH – Yard Waste pickup will be weather permitting on Wednesday. No trash pick-up will occur on Thursday. Friday garbage pickups will proceed as scheduled. Saturday will be a makeup day for Thursday’s missed schedule, so anyone normally scheduled will have their trash collected then.

PORT ORANGE – Due to the impending storm and the landfill closing, there will be no garbage, recycle or large claw pick-up on Thursday, November 10th. The makeup day will be Saturday, November 12th please have your items curbside by 7:00am on Saturday for collection. Wednesday yard waste pick up will begin at 6:00am on November 9th. Please have your yard waste curbside by 6:00am for collection.

Normal residential solid waste collection guidelines will be in effect and are listed below:

  • Garbage pickup service includes the blue 95-gallon cart and two additional 32-gallon size containers.
  • Recycling
  • Yard trash pickup service is limited to 4 cubic yards per week. Limbs may not exceed 4 feet in length or 1 foot in diameter. Cans and limbs must weigh less than 60 pounds.
  • Whole trees cut or blown down are NOT included in yard waste service.
  • Bulky waste is limited to four pieces of furniture, appliance, carpet and tires.
  • Carpet must be cut, rolled and tied (or taped) in bundles no greater than 4′ x 8′ and no more than 60 pounds in weight.
  • Construction and demolition debris (aluminum siding, tile, screening, drywall, etc.) is not included with normal residential waste collection services. Homeowners are responsible for disposal.

EDGEWATER – Normal trash pick-ups scheduled for Thursday (November 10, 2022) will be picked up on Friday (November 11, 2022). Normal trash pick-ups scheduled for Friday (November 11, 2022) will be picked up on Saturday (November 12, 2022). Normal recycling scheduled to picked up on Friday (November 11, 2022) will be picked up that day, weather permitting.

NSB – There was no solid waste collection Thursday, Nov. 10. Regular collection will resume Friday, Nov. 11. The makeup day for solid waste missed Thursday will be Saturday, Nov. 12.

DELAND – Trash Pickup: All Wednesday and Thursday trash customers will be serviced on Friday. Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday. Debris: There was not a lot of vegetative debris caused by the storm, so the city will not be hiring a contractor. Instead, city crews will pick up any large debris created by the storm. All large vegetative debris like tree limbs should be placed at the curb and not bagged. All smaller debris like leaves should be bagged in clear bags for GFL to pick up as normal yard waste.

DELTONA – Given the recent impacts of the storm, we’ve asked the Debris haulers to resume collecting debris in the City of Deltona. Beginning Saturday, Nov. 12, they will work from sunrise to sunset to collect debris around our City. As you begin gathering debris on your property, we ask that you do not place it in containers or bags and place it on the curb along the right of way. It should be separated (vegetative and construction/demolition) and cannot obstruct travel lanes or pile up around mailboxes or utility infrastructure.

Household trash and yard waste will continue to be picked up as long as weather permits:

  • They will be closed Thursday, Nov. 10
  • They will resume operations on Friday, Nov. 11
  • Household trash and yard waste scheduled for Thursday will be collected on Friday, Nov. 11
  • Household trash and yard waste scheduled for Friday will be collected on Saturday, Nov. 12

The Tomoka Landfill and West Volusia Transfer Station will close at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, and resume normal operations on Friday, Nov. 11, weather permitting. Residents within the cities’ incorporated limits should check with their city’s solid waste department for information about waste collection.

Shelters

Two hundred residents sought shelter in Volusia County’s shelters.

Three shelters remain open:

  • Creekside Middle School, 6801 Airport Road, Port Orange (general population)
  • Heritage Middle School, 1001 Parnell Court, Deltona (general population and special needs)
  • David C. Hinson Middle School, 1860 N. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach (special needs)

All three shelters will accept pets. Those staying at a shelter with their pets must bring necessary pet items and supplies.

Food safety for power outages

According to the Centers for Disease Control, refrigerated or frozen foods may not be safe to eat after the loss of power.

Follow these tips during the power outage:

  • Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
  • If the doors stay closed, food will stay safe for up to four hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer or 24 hours in a half-full freezer.
  • If the power has been out for four hours and a cooler and ice are available, put refrigerated perishable foods in the cooler. To keep them at 40 degrees or below, add ice or a cold source like frozen gel packs.

Follow these tips after power is restored:

  • Never taste food to determine if it is safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out.
  • Throw out perishable food in your refrigerator (meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and leftovers) after four hours without power or a cold source like dry ice. Throw out any food with an unusual odor, color or texture.
  • Check temperatures of food kept in coolers or your refrigerator with an added cold source. Throw out food above 40 degrees.
  • If you have an appliance thermometer in your freezer, check to see if it is still at 40 degrees or below.
  • You can safely refreeze or cook thawed frozen food that still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees or below.

Generator safety

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas and is highly poisonous. Depending on the level of exposure, CO may cause fatigue, weakness, chest pains for those with heart disease, shortness of breath upon exertion, nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion, lack of coordination, impaired vision, loss of consciousness, and in severe cases, death.

If you lose power and plan to use a generator, follow these safety tips:

  • Placement is key. Never use generators indoors or outside near windows, vents or air intakes that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors. This can be fatal.
  • Use proper care. Proper ventilation is critical to reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator’s engine exhaust. CO poisoning is a common, serious danger that can cause death if generators are used improperly; this is particularly true when the fuel is not burned completely.
  • Keep other items clear. Maintain plenty of air flow space around the generator.
  • Pay attention. Get fresh air immediately if you begin to feel sick, dizzy or light-headed or experience flu-like symptoms.
  • Buy a CO detector. Because CO is invisible and odorless, buy a CO detector (similar to or sometimes combined in a smoke detector) to warn of rising CO levels.
  • Ground your generator. Carefully follow all instructions on properly “grounding” the generator.
  • Keep the generator dry. Short circuits may occur in wet conditions, which can cause a generator fire. If needed, place the generator under an open canopy-type structure.
  • Be prepared. Always keep a fully charged fire extinguisher nearby.
  • Leave it to the professionals. To avoid electric shock or electrocution, do not try to fix or otherwise work on a generator.
  • Organize your cords. Keep cords out of the way to avoid injury but keep them in plain view to keep track of cord damage (such as fraying or cuts) that could cause a fire.
  • Never back-feed power. Do not plug the generator into a wall outlet. Back feeding will put you and others, including utility line workers, at serious risk because the utility transformer can increase low voltage from the generator to thousands of volts.
  • Don’t touch. It’s hot. The exterior portions of a generator, even if operated for only a short period of time, can become hot. Avoid touching the generator without protective gear and keep debris clear to avoid a fire.
  • Shut off your generator and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before refueling. Extremely hot exhaust can lead to the unsafe ignition of spilled gas or concentrated vapors.

Coastal buildings declared unsafe

County and municipal building inspectors have declared 24 hotels and condos to be unsafe and have ordered their evacuation:

  • Sanibel Condo, 3799 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (11 stories)
  • Flamingo Inn, 2011 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (three stories)
  • Castaways Beach Resort, 2043 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (seven stories)
  • OPUS Condo, 2071 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (11 stories)
  • Towers Grande, 2055 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (15 stories)
  • Hawaiian Inn, 2301 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (five stories)
  • Ocean Court, 2315 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (two stories)
  • Sand and Surf, 2535 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (two stories)
  • Sherwin Condo, 2555 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (19 stories)
  • St. Kitts Condominium, 2855 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (six stories)
  • Tropic Shores Resort, 3111 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (11 stories)
  • South Shore Motel, 3225 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (three stories)
  • Holiday Inn Express, 3301 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (11 stories)
  • Twin Towers North, 3311 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (18 stories)
  • Twin Towers South, 3315 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (18 stories)
  • Grande Coquina Condo, 3333 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (22 stories)
  • Marabella Condo, 3343 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (seven stories)
  • Pirate’s Cove, 3501 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (seven stories)
  • White Surf Condo, 3555 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (seven stories)
  • Curran Shores North, 3615 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (two stories)
  • Sunglow Resort, 3647 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (10 stories)
  • Dimucci Tower 14, 3797 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores (seven stories)
  • Sea Coast Gardens II Condominiums, 4151 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach (five stories)
  • The two easterly oceanfront buildings of Las Brisas Condominiums, 3001 S. Atlantic Ave. (three stories)

Additionally, at least 25 single-family homes in Wilbur-by-the-Sea were evacuated after being declared structurally unsafe.

Beach safety

Residents are visitors are urged to stay away from the beach because of debris and the damage to homes, condos, hotels, beach walkways and piers.

“If you go anywhere near the beach, you are putting your life in jeopardy,” said Beach Safety Deputy Director Tammy Malphurs. “The current state of the ocean is unforgiving. You might not make it out if you step foot into the water. We are flying double red flags because there is massive amounts of debris in the water and on the beach, 10- to 12-foot breaking waves, and strong rip currents.”

She added that the water isn’t the only danger present along the coast.

“We have not yet had the opportunity to assess coastal structures such as piers and walkways. Even during low tide, these structures may collapse without notice. At this time the beach is the most dangerous place to be in our county. We will work as hard as we possibly can to make it safe and accessible once again, but it’s going to take time.”

Airport

The Daytona Beach International Airport did not sustain significant damage. The terminal will reopen at 4 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, and the airfield will open at 6 a.m. Travelers are advised to contact their airline for flight updates.

Volusia County Fair

The Volusia County Fair and Youth Show will reopen at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 11. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.volusiacountyfair.com.

Evacuaees and Information Center

Evacuees seeking accommodations on the mainland side of Volusia County can visit our PIN site at www.volusia.org/PIN. In addition, Visit Florida has activated the Emergency Accommodations Module on Expedia.com to provide real-time hotel and lodging availability for impacted Floridians and visitors.

Citizens Information Center

For additional information related to the storm, visit volusia.org/PIN or call the Citizens Information Center at 866-345-0345.

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