Clean up efforts, debris drop offs underway after storm

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Crews continue to work around the clock, in an effort to restore power as quickly as possible.
They’ve been on the ground immediately after those storms passed through.

But it’s still a multi-day process.
The same applies to clean-up efforts, many people are still picking up debris that was leftover from the storm.

And, there’s a proper way to dispose of it.

Since the severe winds subsided, over the weekend the City of Lexington started letting people bring their debris to the Old Frankfort Pike landfill.

Anyone living in Fayette County can drop off debris from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day until the 10th. And the piles are already starting to get high.

Mike Cox is one of the many people throwing out debris.

He lives on Higby Lane Road and says he was one of the lucky ones, only losing power for a few minutes, and only a few trees were knocked over.

“We lost power for approximately one minute and I would advise anybody to get checked in to auxiliary generators, the power went out and within less than a minute, we haven’t been without power since,” said Cox.

He says he has experienced many weather-related events in Lexington over the years.
His wife was stuck without power during the ice storm in 2009.
But he compares Friday’s storms to that of a hurricane.

“Since I’ve been through a hurricane on a ship, it just didn’t go away, this is like Kentucky got one of their first hurricanes,” said Cox.

Cox says since the storm he has been helping people he knows who are still without power, get their phones charged, making them coffee, and giving them food.
While also cleaning up the debris around his home.

“When people you know for 30, 40 and whatever years and they don’t have power and you do you just run an extension cord” added Cox.

Though he says he hopes a storm like that doesn’t happen again…

“I’m glad it’s over, and we don’t need another one, at my age we don’t need another one.”

Residents can also drop off yard waste debris for free at the city’s Haley Pike landfill, 4216 Hedger Lane, open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. There will be no limit on the number of loads of yard waste and storm debris a resident can take to Haley Pike this month.

The City of Lexington says if you can’t bring your debris to the landfill you can also leave it out for pick up, however, there are certain requirements that go along with that.

You should *not* throw branches in your trash can. Instead, pile up debris at the curb for pick up.
Pieces can be no longer than 12 feet, and 16 inches in diameter.

You’re asked to keep debris out of the street.

You can also place smaller sticks in your grey yard waste cart.