Pinellas County's barrier islands reopened to the public at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Only people who live and work in the beach communities have been allowed access after Hurricane Helene devastated the area last week.
But there's a lot more work to do to recover, and officials say residents, business owners and repair crews still need space.
“If you really don’t need to be out there, please, please don’t go out there,” said Cathie Perkins, director of Pinellas County Emergency Management, during a Monday news conference.
Massive amounts of debris remain
Added Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri: "There is no reason for anybody to be out here unless you live here, you have a business that you're trying to get up and running, and there's no place for people that are coming out here that want to do bad things."
The amount of debris accumulating in communities like Treasure Island is astounding after several feet of storm surge soaked neighborhoods and damaged more than 25,000 homes. Piles of furniture, appliances, mattresses and other items line the streets.
Residents looked exhausted as they went back and forth carrying ruined items outside. Others were trying to vacuum out moisture from their flooded homes.
Construction equipment roamed the streets, picking up vehicles that were destroyed during the storm. Days after Helene's floodwaters submerged the cars, water still dripped out of some of them as they were taken to a staging area for removal.
Debris collection could take six months or more to complete, warned a Treasure Island public information officer in a media release on Tuesday. Helene's widespread impact — not just on Florida, but states like North Carolina and Tennessee — is fueling competition for contractors and equipment, they said.
Sand is still a problem in some areas
Cleanup and repair crews have been busy preparing the barrier islands for public access.
Most roads were initially impassable after Helene, due in part to "astronomical" amounts of sand storm surge and high winds pushed onto the streets, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
Most streets, including the heavily trafficked Gulf Boulevard have since been cleared for vehicle use, but large mounds of sand remain.
Pinellas County is working with municipalities to have the sand placed back on the beaches. But the sand has to be screened to make sure it's not contaminated and the beaches need to be cleaned. Officials urge residents not to move the sand, drive over it or place anything on top of it to avoid contamination.
Communities are banding together to recover
Alarms could still be heard ringing out of buildings on Monday, triggered by power outages and water damage that persist.
More than 100 utility workers have been hard at work since the storm to make emergency repairs to electrical equipment and water systems.
Residents on St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and Tierra Verde remain without access to clean drinking water. County officials say it could be several days before boil water notices are lifted.
Food trucks have been visiting different neighborhoods to offer residents meals and other charities and grassroots organizations are collecting donations to distribute to residents in need.
Generous individuals drove past homes offering residents water and ice to stay cool while they cleared out the damage.
The county is determined to recover as quickly as possible so the public can get back to enjoying the beaches. But officials ask that everyone respect the needs of residents and business owners trying to heal.
HURRICANE HELENE: Here's how to get help, and offer your assistance
