Recovery Assistance
Has your property been damaged or do you need assistance? Leon County encourages you to contact 2-1-1 Big Bend to be connected to disaster relief resources or other recovery help. Please call 2-1-1 Big Bend, our community's local social services referral agency, at 2-1-1 or 850-617-6333. Call takers will assist you through referral and case tracking.
Residents can reach out to the following organizations for free yard clean up, including cutting and clearing trees from private property.
- Samaritan's Purse: 833-747-1234
- Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and Recovery Ministries: 904-253-0502
May 10 Catastrophic Tornado Event Overview
Overview Updated 5/14/24 at 2:28 p.m.
Since the early morning on Thursday, May 9, Leon County Emergency Management has been in close coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS).
Overnight and into morning on Friday, May 10, County teams were actively monitoring changing conditions when the worst of the system arrived at around 6:50 a.m. Initial reports indicated the rotation and formation of up to three tornadoes in Gadsden. The same system shortly after 7 a.m. brought severe weather to all of Leon County.
The tornado outbreak involved one confirmed EF-1 tornado and two confirmed EF-2 tornadoes, as determined by the NWS. These tornadoes, which touched down in eastern Gadsden and western Leon County, traveled across central Leon County, bringing with them intense 100 mph straight-line winds.
In coordination with the NWS, the County has determined that Friday's tornado outbreak is the most severe and damaging wind event ever experienced in the County.
Leon County teams are responding to downed trees, clearing roads, assessing buildings, and supporting all response and recovery operations.
To report damage, please fill out the Leon County Property Damage Form. For further questions, call Leon County Emergency Management at 850-606-3700.
Points of Distribution - Water and Shelf-Stable Meals
In close coordination with the State of Florida, damage assessment reports, and other community partners, the County has opened three points of distribution with bottled water and shelf-stable meals. The POD sites will run through Wednesday, May 15.
The points of distribution are at the following locations:
- J. Lewis Sr. Woodville Park and Recreation Complex, 1492 J. Lewis Hall Sr. Lane
- Jane G. Sauls Fort Braden Branch Library, 16327 Blountstown Highway
- Apalachee Regional Park, 7550 Apalachee Parkway
The following is the hours for each location:
- Tuesday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 15, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In addition to the shelf-stable meals and water, tarps are now available to residents who have encountered roof damage at all three distribution points, while supplies last.
All sites will be operated in coordination with the County Office of Resource Stewardship staff. Operations will be assessed daily throughout the activation and as recovery efforts continue.
Second Harvest Emergency Response Food Distribution
Second Harvest of the Big Bend is holding an emergency response distribution event on Thursday, May 16, starting at 5 p.m. at Governor's Square Mall in the old Sears parking lot. Fresh produce, proteins, eggs, and dry food items will be available to the community while supplies last.
County to Begin Curbside Debris Collection on May 17
Leon County will soon begin collecting curbside vegetative disaster debris for the unincorporated area of the county. Storm-related debris collection will begin Friday, May 17, with a second pass in late May or early June.
Collection will occur on both public and private roads in the unincorporated area.
As citizens begin their cleanup efforts, it is essential to remember the following tips:
- All debris for collection should be placed curbside between the sidewalk or property line and the curb.
- Keep vegetative debris loose and unbagged at the curb.
- Only vegetative disaster storm debris will be collected.
- Be careful and safe when moving large, bulky storm-related debris to the curb.
- Debris removal trucks will not pick up household garbage; Waste Pro will continue to collect trash, recycling, and smaller yard debris as usual on their normally scheduled days.
- Do not stack or lean debris against sprinkler heads, meters, poles, trees, backflows, and other structures.
For information on how best to organize debris and how to safely place materials at the curb, please review the included debris disposal guide.
County Vegetative Debris Drop Off Continues
To further support the needs of our community, Leon County will offer free-of-charge yard and debris drop-off for all Leon County citizens at both the Solid Waste Management Facility and all the Rural Waste Service Centers until further notice.
The Leon County Solid Waste Management Facility, located at 7550 Apalachee Parkway, will be open to all County residents from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Leon County Rural Waste Service Centers will also remain open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:
- Woodville, 549 Henry Jones Road
- Fort Braden, 2485 East Joe Thomas Road
- Miccosukee, 13051 Miccosukee Road
For questions regarding debris collection in the unincorporated area of Leon County, citizens can call 850-606-1500 or submit a request online at LeonCountyFL.gov/ServiceRequest.
American Red Cross Shelter and Reception Center
The Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, in coordination with Leon County and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, has opened a shelter at the Al Lawson Center, 1800 Wahnish Way.
Additionally, the American Red Cross Reception Center at 1115 Easterwood Drive will remain open and operational from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. The reception center will serve as a haven for those in need, offering essential amenities such as air conditioning, charging stations for phones, access to water and snacks, as well as assistance and local resources to aid in their recovery efforts.
Leon County Property Damage Assessment
Leon County Emergency Management is seeking assistance from the public to document damage within Tallahassee and Leon County resulting from the severe weather incident that occurred on Friday, May 10, 2024.
Click here to fill out the Leon County Property Damage Form.
Once a citizen has completed a Property Damage Assessment, Leon County adds that report to our initial damage assessment. Your reported damage helps us appeal to the federal government for disaster relief and assistance. Your reported damage can help tell the story that our community needs national assistance to recover and return to normal.
Also, after filling out the form, if you have unmet needs please contact 2-1-1 Big Bend by dialing 2-1-1 or calling 850-617-6333.
Florida Commerce Business Damage Assessment Survey
FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to the May Severe Weather event. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of affected businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “May North Florida Tornadoes” from the dropdown menu.
Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan
FloridaCommerce activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $2 million available for businesses impacted by the recent severe weather that impacted North Florida. Florida small business owners in need of assistance are encouraged to visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL to apply for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. Businesses in Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties, including sole proprietors, are eligible to apply.
The program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to May North Florida Tornadoes. Interested applicants can apply now through July 10, 2024, or until all available funds are expended.
Electric Outages
City of Tallahassee Electric
To report City of Tallahassee outages, visit Talgov.com/You/Outage. To view the City of Tallahassee outage map, visit OutageMap.Talgov.com.
Talquin Electric
To report Talquin Electric outages, visit TalquinElectric.com/Services/Report-An-Outage. To view the Talquin Electric outage map, visit My.TalquinElectric.com/Outages/Maps.
Leon County Closure Updates
School and University Updates for Tuesday, May 14:
- Florida State University campuses in Tallahassee have normal operations on Tuesday, May 14.
- Florida A&M University is closed on Tuesday, May 14.
- Tallahassee Community College has normal operations on Tuesday, May 14.
- Leon County Schools is closed on Tuesday, May 14. Schools will resume normal operating hours on Wednesday, May 15.
Additional Service Information
Residential waste collection routes for Leon County will continue to run on normal pick-up days.
StarMetro is running all regularly scheduled service for fixed routes with necessary detours. Visit Talgov.com/StarMetro for route information.
In the event of an animal-related emergency, service is available by calling the Consolidated Dispatch Agency at 850-606-5800. Leon County Animal Control encourages residents to only use this service to report dangerous or aggressive dogs, sick or injured domestic animals, and animal cruelty. Injured wildlife calls will be forwarded to the St. Francis Wildlife Association at 850-627-4151.
Stay Informed
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LeonReady.com – The Leon Ready website is a hub of resources to help you, your family and your neighborhood prepare for disasters. There are a variety of resources available, like the County’s Disaster Survival Guide, a full list of disaster supplies for your disaster bucket, and so much more, to increase your readiness.
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Download the Leon County Citizens Connect Mobile App - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application from the Apple and Google Play stores.
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Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.
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Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring up-to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible.
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Additionally, iHeartRadio will also provide updates on the following stations: WFLA-FM 100.7, WFLF-FM 94.5, WTNT 94.9, KISS-FM 107.1, X-FM101.5, and The Beat-FM 105.3.
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Call 2-1-1 Big Bend - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or 850-617-6333.
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Call 850-606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions about how you should prepare, act and recover.
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For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com.
Stay prepared by visiting LeonReady.com for disaster resilience resources and guides.
U-Haul Storage
U-Haul is offering free storage. People seeking more information or needing to arrange storage services should contact their nearest participating facility:
- U-Haul Moving & Storage at Capital Circle Northwest, 5010 Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL 32304. Contact: 850-576-2317.
- U-Haul Moving & Storage at Lake Ella, 1580 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32303; Contact: 850-222-1389
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Northeast Tallahassee, 2554 Capital Circle NE, Tallahassee, FL 32308; Contact: 850-422-0039
Storm Damage Assessment Dashboard
The following is the Leon County damage assessment dashboard as of 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. Generally, this graphic will be updated once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The damage categories are based on FEMA Guidelines (FEMA Degrees of Damage Definitions).
