Hurricane Irma

Since we're getting ready to go help with the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, I figured I should probably get the post from Hurricane Irma finished. Last year we went a couple of times to help in the Florida Keys; this year Florida's Panhandle needs assistance. We're grateful that our county was spared both years!

A Packing List for Hurricane Clean-Up Helpers

• caution tape & duct tape & safety cones (like soccer cones)
• reflective vests & Helping Hands shirt
• first aid kit
• flashlights
• walkie talkies
• work gloves & safety goggles
• sturdy shoes or work boots
• hats & sunglasses
• lots of water & Gatorade
• chain saws and other saws
• wheelbarrows
• camping equipment, including
• tent, tarp, hammer, stakes
• sleeping bags, air mattresses, pump
• lantern, fans, camp chairs
• clothes, toiletries, towels
• food & cooking gear (if necessary)

We spent one weekend working in the command center. I helped with first aid (fortunately, not much was needed) and cooking for the volunteers; Wayne directed traffic and helped prepare supplies. While that was a good experience, we enjoyed the next weekend better, when we actually helped chop up trees and muck out basements and got to meet people directly affected by the storm. Here's the story in pictures.

Our first look after returning from our cruise/wedding trip.

Before helping others, we felt we needed to take care of our own property first, so we worked together to remove the shutters. Then while Wayne was at work that week, I chopped up the tree that had fallen in our backyard, leaving the stump for a later date. I never knew that doing so was on my bucket list, but it's not anymore!

Around our neighborhood, a week after the storm had passed.

Slowly the tree grew smaller and the piles of branches grew larger.

Until they were all at the curb.

Then it was off to the Florida Keys!

Our first look at the devastation.

My assignment was to help with food.

And first aid.

Wayne helped prepare supplies.

We both helped clean up the yard of the Marathon Branch meeting house.

It looked 100% better when we left!

We worked with some awesome people, including our missionaries, our bishop, and the Nall's who basically ran the show.

It was an exhausting weekend, but we went back for more!

The first house needed debris hauled to the curb and some limbs from a large tree removed.

A before and after shot of that first house's backyard.

More hauling of debris at the second house.

The third house had more chopping and hauling for us to do.

But we found time to get a group picture of our crew.

The fourth house needed a fence propped up; looking at all of the houses on that block was heart wrenching.

This owner showed us the water line - above four feet!

Our fifth stop was on the same street, with more chopping and hauling. We just loved the resilient attitude of the residents of Marathon Key. So amazing!

The next morning we headed out again! It was an absolutely gorgeous day, but we would have appreciated it a lot more if we had been there for a different reason.

No one was home at the first stop, but it looked like they had already done some gutting and hauling.

We spent several hours at the next house, which received at least 10 feet of storm surge.

It took some muscles, but we were able to move the brand-new refrigerator from laying on a pile of branches to standing upright in the driveway. Too bad it can never be used.

We also spent time at the house next door, mucking out their workshop and clearing off the back patio.

Did you notice the vehicle caught on the hedge across the canal?

Two neighboring cabins at the Scout camp, which was the command center - one still intact, one demolished.

One last hurricane-related chore - removing the stump from our own backyard. Thanks for the help, Jeff!

A year later, the grass has regrown and the back yard is better than ever. (Remember that Wayne never really liked that tree there in the first place.) Give them time and the Florida Keys and Panhandle will recover someday also.