Literally everything was great! Initially, I was asked to help with housekeeping and cooking, but I was hoping that I’d get a chance to help with the projects, too. But then it was only a small team and I got to help with the chainsaw work and had the opportunity to meet with the homeowners. …
As I was sitting in the skidsteer, my phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket, saw that it was a Florida number and immediately answered. On the other end, a man asked if we could come and get a tree off his house roof. I replied: “Sure, I will be over later today …
The need in Florida is huge. There are very few volunteers in the area which leaves more opportunity for contractors to take advantage of people. A homeowner told me someone gave him a price of $12,000 to remove two trees and clean up his yard. We did it in less than a day with three …
Volunteers needed!We’re currently stationed in the town of Perry, Florida. Assessing the situation in the area is difficult because of the scale of the disaster. A hurricane leaves a similar yet different footprint than a tornado. Different in that it affected the whole town instead of just along one path, but similar in the sense …
US DISASTER RESPONSE[Florida Hurricane]Last night we deployed the RV and trailer to Florida and they will be reaching their destination shortly.This morning a little before 8, Hurricane Idelia hit the Florida panhandle. It hit the coast as a category 3, with winds as high as 125 mph. We have someone on the ground doing damage …
US DISASTER RESPONSE[Barre Vermont Flooding]I would say that floods are probably one of the worst types of disasters to clean up. The water rises quickly, destroys or ruins anything in its path and leaves basements, yards and homes filled with mud and debris. As people work through hard-hit areas, there’s a seemingly endless task of …
US Disaster Response[Barre Vermont Flooding]The streets are muddy, the air is filled with the smell of wet things, damp, moldy, slimy and utterly depressing. The streets are lined with the damaged belongings of people who have lost everything. A stray cat walks through the mess, the epitome of the “lostness” that one feels in the …
[Vermont Flooding]Approximately 500 buildings in Montpelier have been damaged, and many of these are small businesses. Fortunately for the people of Montpelier, they have been on the news and there is a fair number of volunteers showing up to help.In Barre, a town situated 20 minutes southeast of Montpelier, there are about 400 buildings that …
This week, we wrapped up our tornado cleanup responses both in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, and Little Rock, Arkansas.Our volunteers spent around 2000 hours working alongside the Cajun Navy, and together, they were able to positively impact about 100 different homeowners. Working together and sharing resources and opportunities helped to maximize our impact on the community.Thank …
The grief and loss of all the devastation in Rolling Fork, Mississippi gripped my heart.I observed what a beautiful town it had been and to see so much destruction everywhere and the reality of how long it will take to even have a decent new normal.. Sometimes it was hard just to see it; heart …