Commissioner Nicole Wilson and Orange County have provided an update on recovery from Hurricane Milton. FEMA has designated Orange County Residents eligible for individual assistance following Hurricane Milton. Residents need to file a claim with their insurance first before filing with FEMA. Information can be found at fema.gov.

Reams Road remains open in all areas. Emergency approval for pumping was granted from the South Florida Water Management District for approximately 4 inches of flooding over the roadway, and pumping began on Thursday, October 10. Orange County received a Tiger Dam system from the Florida National Guard, which was installed on Friday, October 11 to the east of Floridian Way. As of Sunday afternoon, almost all flooding is gone in this area.

Flooding continues at the Reams/Ficquette/Sumerlake intersection, but remains open and accessible. The dedicated right turn from Ficquette Road to to Summerlake Park Blvd is closed due to flooding, but the turn can be made the traffic signal.

Orange County crews will continue to be the area monitoring roads for changes in flooding.

Debris Removal for yard waste and bulk pickup will continue as scheduled throughout Orange County. Yard waste that is bundled, bagged, or placed in garage cans will continue to be picked up during weekly scheduled service. Large pile debris pickup that is not bundled will begin Wednesday, October 16.

Big Sand Lake, located by Dr. Phillips, increased in elevation to +96.06’ NAVD, but did not threaten any habitable structures. The minimum flood elevation is +101.5’ NAVD. The outfall canal for Big Sand Lake is open, flowing, and expected to decrease to +92.83’ NAVD per the FDOT project. No pumping operations are planned for Big Sand Lake. The Florida Department of Transportation is leading an outfall project to better manage water levels.