Pinellas County officials provide resources, assistance for residents following Hurricane Helene

LARGO, Fla. (WFLA) — Pinellas County officials will provide updates on county operations and information for residents about Hurricane Helene’s impact.

The Emergency Management and Safety team as well as Emergency Services encourage residents to report damages to FEMA for federal assistance, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by visiting their website.

Damages can also be reported locally through Disaster.Pinellas.gov. Nearly 13,000 people have applied since yesterday, officials said.

The county has three points of distribution where barrier island residents can receive free food, water, and tarps. The PODs are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

St. Pete Beach: 4700 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. Food, water and tarps
Treasure Island: 10451 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. Food, water and tarps
Tierra Verde Fire Station: 540 Sands Point Drive, Tierra Verde. Water only

To find a pantry or event near you, visit FeedingTampaBay.org.

If you have beach sand, clean sand can be returned to the beach above the high tide line. It must be free of stains, odors, and debris. If the sand does not meet this criteria, residents must request permission from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection by calling 840-245-2094 or emailing CCCL@FloridaDEP.gov.

The county asks for sand to not be put in your trash or to place any sand onto the roadways.

Deployment teams are handing out bottled water and flyers for residents on how to find a licensed contractor or plumber. The county warns of fraudulent contractors.

Cooling stations, shelters, and bus routes are also available throughout the county. Residents can call for additional information at 727-464-4333 or Disaster.Pinellas.gov.

Residents are asked to conserve water and limit usage, as crews continue working to restore these systems. For hazardous disposal question, call 727-464-7500.

For county-specific questions, residents can call 727-464-4000. For additional recovery resources and clean-up assistance in Florida, call 844-965-1386.

Volunteers can sign up to help through the statewide portal on Disaster.Pinellas.gov. The website also has a complete list of items for residents in need of donations.

Below is a list of collection sites across the county that are accepting donations (drop-offs only):

All Saints Episcopal Church, 1700 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs (Mon – Thurs, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
First United Methodist Dunedin, 421 Main Street, Dunedin (Mon – Thurs, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Habitat for Humanity Admin, 14010 Roosevelt Boulevard, Suite 704, Clearwater (Mon – Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Greenwood Recreation Center, 900 N Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Clearwater (Mon – Fri, Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
Clearview United Methodist Church, 4515 38th Avenue North, St. Pete (Mon – Thurs, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Maritime and Defense Tech Hub, 450 8th Avenue Southeast, St. Pete (Mon – Fri, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Gulfport United Methodist Church, 2728 53rd Street South, Gulfport (Mon – Fri, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

Items not being accepted: