Nashville officials mobilize volunteers and NDOT ramps up countywide debris collection after winter storm
Loading...
Summary
Metro leaders and nonprofit partners launched door-to-door canvassing and a countywide debris plan after Winter Storm Fern, with NDOT and contractors documenting collections for FEMA reimbursement while United Way and Hands On coordinate needs-tracking and volunteer deployment.
Metro Nashville officials, nonprofit partners and city transportation crews described a coordinated door-to-door canvassing and debris-collection effort Thursday as recovery continued after Winter Storm Fern.
Mayor (name not specified) opened the briefing by thanking volunteers and urging a fast restoration of service, saying “our top priority remains total and complete power restoration” and that “fewer than 10,000 NES customers still don't have power.” He invited residents to join volunteer canvassing and said Metro is directing resources to the effort.
Deputy Director Philip Jones of the Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) outlined NDOT’s approach to debris collection, saying contractor crews are removing vegetation from rights of way and running four to eight pothole crews over the next days. Jones said NDOT recorded approximately 6,300 right-of-way tree and vegetation hazards and that contractor crews had picked up about 6,007 cubic yards of debris during the initial sweep. He estimated the first countywide collection will take two to three weeks and cautioned that the timeline is weather dependent.
“We're following all FEMA guidance on the collections with monitors embedded with the crews, photographing and documenting every step of the process,” Jones said, describing four temporary transfer stations where debris will be ground and weighed for possible FEMA reimbursement. He told residents to place vegetative debris at the curb — taking care not to block fire hydrants, utility infrastructure, sidewalks or bike lanes — and said routine curb placements do not require a Hub Nashville request.
United Way staff urged residents who need help to use the city’s needs tracker. Erica (United Way staff) said the 211 call center answered more than 300 calls and made about 900 referrals yesterday and that 859 cases were submitted to the needs tracker as of the morning of the briefing. “If you need assistance in completing the form, you can also call 211,” she said, and emphasized that the needs tracker identifies households eligible for repair assistance.
Hands On Nashville’s Chief Growth Officer Lori Shenton described volunteer canvassing set to identify homes with debris and safety concerns and to prioritize seniors and vulnerable residents. Shenton said Hands On is mobilizing volunteers and will post needs on its site; the organization reported more than 1,200 requests for debris removal and cleanup reported to its teams.
Officials also highlighted financial assistance: the mayor announced a $250,000 gift from the Tennessee Titans to the Winter Storm Recovery Fund to support Davidson County’s emergency winter housing assistance program, which is administered through the Metropolitan Action Commission.
City officials said the immediate focus remains restoring power and responding to urgent safety needs; canvassing teams will continue to identify households that need help for follow-up by cleanup crews and social-service partners.
Next steps: canvassing continues in impacted neighborhoods, NDOT will run repeated countywide collections over the coming weeks as weather allows, and officials encouraged residents to submit needs at nashvilleresponse.com or call 211 for assistance.
