Why you need to be careful with piles of hurricane debris

MARTIN COUNTY, FL. As cleanup continues from this month’s devastating tornadoes, the piles of debris are gradually shrinking.

But while they’re on the sidelines, Martin County Animal Control wants residents to pay attention to what might be lurking underneath.

Nearly three weeks after the storm, scars from Hurricane Milton’s outer bands are still common in the New Monrovia area of ​​Martin County.

Peter Thompson was busy sweeping his porch Monday and was glad the curb in front of his house was clear of debris.

But there were still huge piles of rubble behind his house, and he knew what might be there.

WPTV

“It’s snake country,” Thompson laughed.

Martin County Animal Control Officer Amanda Heffron wants residents to take this message seriously.

On Monday, Heffron showed off her snake tongs, which she said make them “safe to handle from a distance.”

She said her office received two calls last week about venomous snakes found near large piles of trash.

“Warm, dark places are great for snakes,” Heffron said, “because their prey goes there and they follow it.”

WPTV

One of the snakes they turned to was the diamondback rattlesnake. The other was the longest coral snake she had ever seen.

“We don’t really see any venomous creatures,” Heffron said. “They don’t want us to see them. They don’t want us to bother them. They are doing their job. Respect their space.”

This means you should be especially careful when walking a dog that might smell snake musk.

“Pay attention to what your dog does after the sniff,” Heffron said. “Don’t talk on your phone while walking your dog to stay informed.”

She said if you encounter a snake, just back off and leave it to the professionals to catch it.

If you live in Martin County and would like to receive updated information about trash collection, the county has new garbage removal card this is updated daily.