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Frequently Asked Questions
Updated on September 30 at 9AM
 
The Duval County Emergency Operations Center is no longer activated in response to Helene, and the local state of emergency was lifted as of 8AM on Saturday, September 28. 

Who do I call if my power is out? 

Electrical outages and service issues can be reported to JEA at (904) 665-6000 or online at JEA.com. 
 
There are a lot of trees down and widespread damage throughout our service area. Crews will be working methodically using JEA’s Restoration 1,2,3 protocol:
  1. Essential services first: JEA plants and facilities, hospitals, shelters, police and fire facilities.    
  2. Electric feeder circuits that serve about 2,500 customers.
  3. Targets the few remaining isolated outages, smaller circuits and individual service points.
Our crews are working safely and methodically. We ask our customers for patience.
 
JEA crews will be out 24 hours a day until all power is restored.  Our line workers plus an additional 54 contract crews are responding, more than 400 lineworkers in all.

What do I do if I come across downed power lines or downed trees?

Report to 630-CITY and avoid all contact with power lines. If you suspect a safety issue or live wire i.e. a downed power line that is on fire or sparking, please call 9-1-1 instead.

City crews are continuing to close out downed tree and traffic signal tickets.

What should citizens do if they approach a malfunctioning or out-of-service traffic light? 

Drivers should treat malfunctioning or out-of-service traffic lights as 4-way stops and report them to 630-CITY.

Are schools closed?

Duval County Public Schools returned to normal operations on Monday, Sept. 30.

Will government offices and facilities close?

City of Jacksonville government offices reopened Monday, September 30. 
  • Jacksonville Public Library: All Jacksonville Public Library branches resumed normal operations Saturday, September 28. 
  • 630-CITY: 630-CITY  resumed normal operations Monday, September 30, at 8 am. You may request a city service online anytime at myjax.custhelp.com.
  • Community/Senior Centers: Resumed normal operations Monday, September 30. 
  • Parks: All City of Jacksonville Parks have reopened to the public and resumed normal operations. 
  • Courts: The Duval County Courthouse and the Clerk’s Office resumed normal operations Monday, September 30. 
  • State Attorney’s Office, 4th Circuit: The office reopened Monday, September 30.
  • Public Defender’s Office: The Offices resumeed normal operations on Monday, September 30.
  • Supervisor of Elections: The office reopened Monday, September 30th at 7:30 a.m. 
  • Property Appraiser: The Duval County Property Appraiser’s Office reopened on Monday, September 30 at 7am.
  • Beaches: The City of Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach offices reopened, Friday, September 27.
  • Baldwin: City offices reopened Monday, September 30.
  • Tax Collector’s Office: All offices reopened Monday, September 30.
  • Universities:
    • JU, UNF, and FSCJ, EWU- students should look for an official announcement from their institution on classes and campus operations. 

Are emergency shelters still open?

  • All shelters have ceased operations as of 8:00 a.m. Saturday, September 28. 

Will JTA continue offering services?

  • JTA has resumed normal operations. 

What do I do if I encounter standing water on the road?

  • Please do not attempt to drive through it. Turn Around, Don't Drown.

Will ticketed events be cancelled?

Individuals are encouraged to check with the event producers to check the status of their events.

Is the Airport closed?

The Jacksonville International Airport is fully operational. 

Is JAXPORT closed?

JAXPORT is fully operational with no restrictions.
 

Who do I contact if my property was damaged by the storm?

If your personal property has been damaged due to a storm, please take the following steps...

  1. Notify your Insurance Provider 
  2. Click here report damages to your property.
  3. Click here to monitor if FEMA assistance is available in your area.

Will garbage and recycling collection remain on schedule? 

Garbage and recylcing is operating on a normal schedule. Contact 630-CITY for missed pick-up due to Helene. 

What types of debris will be picked up by Solid Waste? 

All standard solid waste collection rules apply with a 5 cubic yard waste limit. Please be patient and follow this limit. It may take a few cycles to pick up all your yard waste. Any changes or exceptions to these rules as result of the storm will be communicated via local media channels, social media, the City website (www.jacksonville.gov) and the JaxReady mobile app. 
 
Citizen participation and support are needed for maximum efficiency of post-storm pick-up and recovery efforts. Please follow the Three Cs for Storm Debris, and note that it might take several visits to collect all of it and some areas:
  • COLLECT: Gather storm debris such as tree limbs, trunks, palm fronds, and bulky branches from yard. Private contractors hired by property owners for tree trimming/removal services must haul debris away, as required by City ordinance. Smaller debris, such as leaves, twigs, and pine needles, should be bagged or containerized and meet the five cubic yard limit.
  • COMPILE: Separate containerized yard waste, loose storm debris, and any construction/demolition debris (plywood, roof shingles, sheetrock, etc.). Bulk waste should follow existing size requirements and is picked up according to existing household bulky waste schedules.
  • CURB: Bagged/containerized yard waste that meets the five cubic yard limit requirement is picked up weekly as usual. Debris should be separated by type and placed at least three feet away from obstructions such as vehicles, mailboxes, fire hydrants and utilities.

Who do I call with non-emergency concerns?

Citizens are encouraged to call 630-CITY (2489) with any non-emergency concerns, excluding power outages (which should be reported to JEA), including broken traffic lights, downed trees, questions about garbage collection, etc.
 
Emergency and Weather Declarations
September 23, 2024: The State of Florida has issued an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency for counties that may be impacted by the storm and expanded it to add Duval County on September 24. September 24, 2024: Mayor Deegan declared a local state of emergency as of 12 pm on September 24. September 25, 2024: Duval is now under a Tropical Storm Warning. September 26, 2024:
  • There could be isolated storm surge of up to 3 feet along the St. Johns River. In particular, the San Marco, Downtown Riverfront, Hogan’s Creek, Southampton, Riverside, Ortega, and Ribault areas. High river levels will peak from 6-8PM this evening and 6-8AM on Friday.
  • For our Beaches community, we are also under a Coastal Flood Warning with up to 3 feet of surge. We ask you to please stay out of the dangerous waters.
  • Our tornado risk continues throughout Thursday into Thursday evening as the outer rainbands reach our area. We’re currently under a Tornado Watch, which means we should all stay alert for potential tornado warnings. If a warning is issued, go to your safe room in your home.
September 27, 2024:
  • Hurricane Helene affected Jacksonville in significant ways overnight, including widespread power outages, downed powerlines and trees across the city, and isolated flooding in the areas that we expected.
  • Citizens are encouraged to stay at home and off the roads today so that JEA can restore power, and first responders can clear roadways. Now is not the time to venture out while there are downed power lines and standing water that could be energized or of unknown depth. We urge citizens to not drive through or go near standing water.
     
Press Conferences
Important Phone Numbers
  • City of Jacksonville - 904-630-CITY (2489) 
  • Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office - 904-630-0500 
  • Florida Department of Transportation - 904-360-5457 
  • JEA - 904-665-6000 
  • Northeast Florida Red Cross - 904-358-8091 
  • Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) - 904-630-3100 
  • Traffic Information - 511 
  • United Way of Northeast Florida - 211 
  • Florida Emergency Information Hotline - 1-800-342-3557 
  • Salvation Army - 904-356-8641 
  • National Weather Service Jacksonville - 904-741-4311 
  • Duval County Public Schools - 904-390-2000 
  • Jacksonville Public Library - 904- 630-1994 
Official Social Media Accounts
X Facebook Youtube - City of Jacksonville - https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofjacksonville  
 
LinkedIn - City of Jacksonville - https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-jacksonville  
 
Instagram