...start cleaning up now. We’re looking at 300 to 400 contractor crews in the next few days.”

DeLoach contends that response so far to Charley has mobilized better than that for Hurricane Isabel in 2003. “But there is more work than there are crews. Things will go slowly for the first 2-3 weeks. Crews can come in but have no place to stay.”

Brian Thomason, assistant vice president of Grubbs Emergency Services Inc., Brooksville, Fla., which has prenegotiated emergency debris removal contracts in and around Punta Gorda, estimates costs of at least $50 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse local removal costs, he says. "We have mobilized 75 loaders and chainsaw crews to open up roads." Cleanup of uninsured commercial debris may be included, plus demolition on residential property if there is a health and safety impact, Thomason adds.

Thomason says officials in Punta Gorda set up eight temporary debris staging sites on municipally-owned property by Aug. 17, with as many as 20 anticipated. “Isabel was a Category 2 storm and we had 15 sites there,” he notes. Cleanup of some commercial debris may also be included, he adds. “Since the disaster is so widespread, there is debris on commercial property that insurance won’t cover. We may also do demolition on residential properties if there is a health and safety impact.” Thomason says Hurricane Andrew in 1992 generated 13 million cu ft of debris. “This one will do much more.”

One executive says cleanup management could get sticky. “FEMA generally doesn’t want contractors to clean up and take away debris from private property,” he says. “They want it moved to the right-of-way. But with this much debris, it could be several months before they can even get it there.”

He says his firm will deploy 2,500 personnel on the ground, and 700-800 crews for chainsaw work, pickup and disposal. “I will have 300-400 pieces of iron on the ground, from rental firms, subcontractors and some that we own. We're looking at a year on the outside to bring back some normalcy here, to try to restore life back to the way it was.”