Local Residents Help With Tree Removal in Barbour County

Hurricane Sandy left a trail of downed trees and power lines. Some residents are still without power and some roads still impassable.

Emergency crews continue to work around the clock to clear the roads in Barbour County. In addition to help from the National Guard and statewide agencies, some local residents are now helping in the tree removal effort.

"It's nice if you have a wood burner; they already said you could get all the wood you want as long as it is laying along the road," said Galloway resident, Daniel Arbogast.

Some area residents are cutting and clearing their own roadways and driveways. Others are removing trees from the side of the road to use for firewood.

The Southern Baptist Convention from Roanoke, Virginia is also joining the relief effort.

"Hopefully we'll have chainsaw crews come up here to do tree removal and clean up," said Paul McDaniel, Disaster Relief leader at Southern Baptist Convention. "It doesn't make a difference if you are low-income elderly, whatever; we will help anybody."

McDaniel said he has been impressed by the individual effort to reopen roadways.

"Good news about these folks up here, they take care of each other," McDaniel said. "A lot of them take care of their elderly in the neighborhood and their neighbors and son-in-laws."

The Barbour County Office of Emergency Management is collecting removed trees and debris at the Barbour County Fairgrounds, the state road garage in Philippi and the intersection of Routes 38 and 92.

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Local Residents Help With Tree Removal in Barbour County