In late August 2023, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing widespread wind damage, flooding, and extensive treefall across northern Florida and southern Georgia. SDR was activated under a pre-positioned contract with Gilchrist County, FL, and engaged by Brooks and Clinch Counties, GA, to lead emergency response and debris recovery efforts.
Under FEMA Public Assistance guidelines, SDR removed 210,553 cubic yards of disaster debris, including vegetative material, C&D debris, household hazardous waste (HHW), white goods, and hazardous trees (leaners, hangers, and stumps). SDR established and operated multiple Temporary Debris Management Sites (TDMS) to support efficient processing and disposal.
SDR’s pre-staged resources, seamless multi-county coordination, and compliance-driven execution restored safe access, reduced hazards, and positioned each jurisdiction for full FEMA reimbursement.