Hurricane Clean-UP

[Dan F]

Bob, and all others considering a purchase:

Just a quick reminder that on skidsteers, the rated operating capacity is based on the load it will handle until it tips forward, with the arms at a certain hieght. Wheeled SS are rated at 50% of tip, tracked are rated at 35% of tip, per SAE standards.

Given the unknown conditions in the zone, I would elect for a rubber tracked SS, or a wheeled SS with foam filled tires (or filled with a HIGH quality sealant).

FWIW, there's not a huge difference in the T250/T300. I've run a T300 a fair amount, and it will EASILY pick up 4000 pound pallets of retaining wall block at idle, no hesitation. The T300 is a hellova machine, I think the T250 has the same engine, etc. Make sure you are getting HEAVY duty attachments, as the lighter stuff WILL break!

I don't claim to know everything about SS, but I can help however needed. PM me if you need help.


Dan

 

[pantheraba]

"Bobcats"

TreeBob and Dan F...y'all know a lot more about these than I do. I just went outside to check it...it is actually a Case 1840 with a versatech "bucket-claw"...bucket on bottom and 4 claw grapple on top...the 4 claws rotate down to grasp the load. It has big air tires, like farm tractor cleated tires...grass and sand down here so they work well.

The load limit appears to be 612 kg at horizontal bucket level.

I am not sure where to tell you to set up camp...I will try to find out some info for you.

 

[Tree Machine]

Camping

Camping is available. The simplicity of an average campground allows it to be restored quickly. They would be the first to reopen, and since there are a minimum of hotels available, a next logical place to go, especially for incoming workers, would be a campground. I would almost have to bet that campgrounds are doing quite well right now, but that is only a guess.

Treguys going down might align well with campgronds. You may be able to help them with tree problems and create a good relationship. I'll do a Google search, and check my AAA camping guide and source some sites from the beach, inland 50 Km (30 miles), from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Possibly the best way to source campgrounds is through the State Atlas and Gazeteer that I mentioned far earlier in this thread. In the front index, about page 3, there's a listing of all listed campgrounds, telling what facilities they have, where they are phone numbers. With this information, you could call in and ask the status of the campgrounds, introduce yourself and see about doing some trade if they'd need it. I would ask things like "How bad are the mosquiitos?" and "Will we be pitching tent on ankle deep swamp mud?" Campgrounds are often adjacent to rivers or lakes.

I will dig up camping information for you guys, and let you know tomorrow where some places are. I will give a few campgrounds a call myself, and get the scoop. Please, others, feel free to contribute if you have any direct knowledge of places.

Atlas and Gazeteers are commonly available at good service stations, truck stops, sporting goods and here at this web address http://4cornersmaps.com/catalog/product.asp?productid=91 . For navigating the area, the maps come no better nor more highly detailed and informative.

 

[spike-columbia]

Equipment

Thank everyone who has posted.

Equipment I have:

stump grinder rayco 50 super jr.
F150
Chain saws
ropes etc.

Access to the following:

Boom truck
Bob cat w/grapple

Your opinion on extra equipment (boom / bob cat)?

Which equipment should I bring to earn $$$ ?

 

[topnotchtree]

Just got back from 3 weeks near Picayune with Asplundh. This was my first hurricane clean up, so the scenery to me was pretty amazing. In the 18 days we were down there, you could not look in any direction and not see some kind of damage. Uprooted trees, smashed homes, damaged roofs, etc. I want to point out what I will remember most about out trip, and that would be the southern hospitality. As we convoyed thru the town of Picayune, gatherings of people on the street waved to us and shouted "thank you" as we drove past. People had to drive to town and pick up water and food from fema locations, and as they drove home they offered their food and water to us. The generosity of these people is what I will remember the most. Two ladies from the power company did the laundry from 300 to 600 workers every day. We later found out that one woman had lost lost her home completely, and the other woman lost a loved one. We talked to one guy on a road clearing crew that hadn't seen his wife and kids in over a week, and didnt know where they were.It is something to see people like these on the t.v., but it is very different to talk to these people directly. I am grateful to have had the chance to help out.

 

[Tree Machine]

Thank you for bringing the spirit back on home to us. TopNotch, you guys Rock. Pantherarba. TreeBob, Kyle and company, our Boston guys and about two dozen others, treeguys, stump guys.....YOU ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN!

18 days is a lengthy stretch, welcome home and we want to hear more. You are now fresh back from the war zone I'll coin as as Katreenistan.

Tell us, Topnotch, feed us, nourish us with your experiences. I'm pulling together a list of camping sites while working in Katreenistan. Throw down, brother.

Thank you for the note on Southern Hospitality. It is legendary and I'm glad the southerners are embracing us. We are there to help.

18 days, topnotch. The Hurricane struck land only 21 days ago. You've been a busy beaver. You are amongst the most experienced of all tree crews regarding Katrina, at this point in time. I'd like to give you a big 'Good Job!

 

[Tree Machine]

One of our first men back from 'The Zone'.

 

[pantheraba]

Just got back from 3 weeks near Picayune with Asplundh. This was my first hurricane clean up, so the scenery to me was pretty amazing. In the 18 days we were down there, you could not look in any direction and not see some kind of damage. Uprooted trees, smashed homes, damaged roofs, etc. .

Topnotch...that is where we are working...almost done here, probably head back end of week. I agree..damage is EVERYWHERE, just mindboggling.

I saw Asplundh LOTS in the neighborhood where I was last week...hardworking guys. Glad y'all are around.

Maybe we can meet someday and compare notes.

Take care.

 

[Tree Machine]

Compare those notes right here, Gentlemen, while they're fresh in your mind. Get them out on the table. Purge. Debrief with us. C'mon, tell us all about it!

Pantheraba, you've done a great job feeding us back information from within. Topnotchtree, I know it's hard to summarize 18 days of vacation in tropical Katreenistan, but we want to hear some stories, come on man, don't be shy. Get on in here and say somethin......

 

[boo]

Hey Folks,

We are in Hattiesburg MS again after a short trip home to gather supplies ....we set up camp in columbia at the home of my newest helper (as indicated in an earlier post)
It's nice to be able to put a local to work, even if she's not a saw operator or climber, It's nice to have someone helping with the calls, routing, etc., not to mention I stole her from the front desk of Econo Lodge that gave us the boot for the rate increase :blob5:
Well maybe i'll check in later...as my laptop batt. is low
be safe
peace,

boo

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Boo, as posted earlier i have a client with loaders and excavators (with thumb) who is interested in working down there. Contact me if you have use for him, he's treated me well.

 

[topnotchtree]

The past 3 weeks were kinda a blur, so dates are very fuzzy. We headed down the Wednesday after the storm hit. We drove from Mi to Memphis Tennessee. 3 guys to a truck, top speed 59 mph. (trucks are governed) FYI- Asplundh buys the cheapest trucks they can- manual trans, no radio, no ac= long ride! We stayed 2 nights at a hotel in memphis waiting for the word "go". Friday morning we headed to a fairground near Gulf Port. Got to a parking lot around 3am Saturday. Slept in trucks. Got up around 6am and started heading to Picayune for Coast power company. They put on a safety orientation for us, then lead us to an empty fruit warehouse full of approx 400 cots and said welcome home. They had a catering service right in the warehouse and fed us breakfast. Then out to work we went. Came back in around 7. They had temporary showers rigged up that consisted of hanging tarps and garden hoses with shower heads on them. Yes, cold water. eventually they brought a semi trailer in rigged with nothing but shower stalls and hot water, but there were only about 12 stalls in the trailer for 3 to 500 guys. Wake up was at 5am. breakfast was served at 5:30. After you ate you packed your truck with ice, water, pop, gator aid, and sack lunches, all from the utility co. Out to work and back around 7 again to do it all over again.
The work we did was all for the power lines.We had no chippers so there was no clean up. basically trees fell on the lines and broke the poles. So the wires laid on the ground covered by the trees. our job was to cut away the trees so the wires could be lifted back up. We also had to clearcut a path to any broken poles so the lineman could access them with their trucks. We did do a few trees with the bucket, but it was mostly groundwork. I do not recall any of us putting a saddle on. Then the utility had to boot us from their warehouse to make room for more lineman. Asplundh was in the process of building a tent city but it wasnt ready yet. They arrainged for us to stay in a roller rink on cots. We dropped off our stuff and went to eat. Upon returning we found our roller rink was infested with large ants. This upset many tired tree trimmers. After a meeting with management he offered to pay us double time to drive to the tent city wich was nearly complete, but we dicided to stay there for the night and head to the tent city the next evening. Tent city was the nicest place we stayed at while we were down there. The tents were about the size of football fields with a plywood floor and outdoor carpeting. The caterer feeding us usually catered to movie sets, so even the food was a step up. After a few days here we were all ready for home, and I think management seen that and made the decision to pull us out. On the way home we could only lagally drive 10 hours at a time cause it was no longer a state of emergency. The trip home involves 2 nights at hotels. Ok my fingers are numb now.

 

[Tree Machine]

You Rock.

 

[tzelmet]

I'm with you Treeslayer. If one is going down there to "HELP", Don't hate me for saying it, but HELP is HELP not Commerce. I've done my share of rescue, all the way back to Hugo, And if you aren't prepared, your just another victim. Don't plan on a nice hotel and full meals, prepare to be dirty, tired and unappreciated, and OH yea, don't plan on making a lot of money. These people don't have any. The only people with the money are the big corporations, and unfortunately they are just profiteers in situations like this. The ones who are willing to give of themselves for the sake of humanity will get the pay the seek, and it is far more valuable than cash. I'm getting off my soapbox now, Kudos to all who make the effort. At this time, I'm sitting this one out. I've been to New Orleans many times, and contrary to what they say, it is no Big Easy.

 

[Tree Machine]

What he said. Not a single one of us has focussed on the money, and we're aligned that this is a treemanitarian effort. I hope everyone does OK, and I hope they all volunteer along the way. We know that this is what we do for a living, so we're down there making a living. Expenses can escalate, and if you have problems with equipment, you're down-time will not be a comfortable thing. We need to make money to support ourselves and crews (and families back home).

Like tzelmet says, go down there ready to get dirty. Come home rich with experience and wisdom and satisfaction of having gone down and kicked butt. Every one of us going down there are going down with the intent to do big work like the big dogs we are. We will do the right thing when it comes down to it.

Hey, welcome to the site, tzelmet.

 

[pantheraba]

After we finished the Tingy job 2 days ago, we worked at Miss Irese's house, a widowed retired school teacher, 86 years old, who lives in Carriere, MS, just outside Picayune. Someone had already gotten the trees off her house but there were hangers over the driveway and several busted spars about 30-40 feet high.

I got the hangers out the first day while the rest of the team limbed out several big pines and an oak that were blown over. Melvin manned the Bobcat and grappled the brush and trunks to the road where FEMA will pick up the brush later.

Next day, we returned to Miss Irese's to finish up the job. This was the day that my 19 year old son, Alex, climbed his first tree. One of the spars still had 2 limbs counterweighting the lean we needed so he volunteered to go up and remove the limbs. He has often watched me but never expressed any interest in climbing. I got him suited up and ready to go and then a spur strap broke (those that are coming down, either have extra leather straps or something that will do in a pinch...we had to make do). We made a field expedient repair and he made a few practice climbs...a few feet up, then down...then higher, then down..to get a feel for the spikes. He seemed very comfortable handling the lanyard, Blake's hitch, double safetying-in and cutting the limbs...made a picture perfect drop cut on the big limb.

We have gotten in some good practice dropping spars....lots of them around that need to be knocked down. I have gotten to use wedges on several to practice that trick and it has worked well.

I'll post some pictures of Alex's first climb at Miss Irese's later.

Today we did a partial takedown of a pecan for a Korean War veteran, recently a double amputee. Corbett had a leg removed 2 years ago due to diabetes...just below the knee. He had the other removed mid thigh about 2 weeks before Katrina. They were "treed in" and neighbors had already taken trees off the house. The pecan in the front yard had some big busted limbs in it that we roped down and free dropped. The missus said they want the whole tree down since it overhangs the house.

Their across the street neighbor, 8-pack, did a lot of the house clearing after the hurricane hit. He had us trim it back enough that he said he can drop it later.

Bill had the idea to rig a rope bridge between 2 of the trunks to make a place to stand while working part of the time...first time I have ever done that...used my bull rope to make the bridge.

It was pretty rope intensive and involved several redirects to get proper belays...again, pictures later. My laptop down here with a simple resizer program has crapped out and this one is borrowed.

More later.

 

[Tree Machine]

You all continue to amaze me. Pantheraba, coming to the volunteer aid of a man who just underwent a second leg amputation in July. Housebound, unable to leave, they endured, and survived under extraordinarily tough circumstances, of which I can not personally even imagine. And you show up willing to take care of their tree issues for free. You've outdone yourself, once again and even though your computer is crapping out on us, you STILL will write a post to us at 1 in the morning. You are some kind of amazing, Dude.

But not to take away from the others: Boo, you've been in there since DAY 1 and have only had three days off (if you dare to call them that). You're in there for the THIRD week. Topnotch, I can't thank you enough for your enlightening portayal of what went on at Camp Asplundh, 18 days. The Massachusett's guys, the Iowa group, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois. You are all AWESOME. Missouri, thank you. The Canadian guys, what are ya doing this Winter??? We're getting the scoop on having you down if you're interested, call it a 'working vacation' until Spring. I have had contact with dozens of other teams going down.

Gentlemen, we are down there in the hundreds now, we're entrenched and active and doing strong work. Keep it up! We'll keep the communication open wide and clear here.

 

[pantheraba]

field expedient repair

In my post last night, I mentioned a spur repair we had to make...here is a picture. Alex used this on his first climb...I used it yesterday for about 4 hours in the pecan TD we did.

And a shot of the set up for the pecan takedown.

Another pecan shot...limb over the house.

We ran out of daylight...finished about 8:00 pm.

My helper.

 

[pantheraba]

Alex - first climb - pecan td

A picture of pecan at start...left limbs overhung a fence..right were over house.

Alex's first climb.

 

[pantheraba]

Homeward bound

We head back to the Atlanta area tomorrow...Lithia Springs for most of us, Cumming for my brother-in-law.

Our host is taking us up in a 4 seater Cessna at 7:30 AM for a bird's eye view of the area.

No tree work today...we delivered supplies to folks in Waveland (totally demolished, very little left that resembles a house...most were broken to bits and scattered thru the bayous), Pearlington and other areas near St. Louis Bay.

I'll post a lot of picts to a family website soon and give the link then.

Folks down here are grateful to know that their fellow countrymen are remembering them and sending their donations, help and prayers. They are going to need help for a long time to come.

These are a few of the folks that tell all of us and y'all, "Thanks."

Corbett
Miss Irese
Little girl twin..her brother was carrying supplies.