A crew of mostly police and firefighters that came together after the June 1 tornadoes has donated many hours to cleaning up fall trees and debris in Monson, among the region's hardest-hit towns.
The volunteer Chainsaw Response Team will be back in Monson on Tuesday to clear more fallen trees from the June 1 tornado that pounded the eastern Hampden County town.MONSON -- If you hear some heavy-duty buzzing Tuesday morning in Monson, relax -- it's not an invasion of giant bees.
The buzzing will be the collective noise produced by Justin Green and his Chainsaw Respone Team.
Green, a University of Massachusetts-Amherst police officer, organized a group of cops, firemen and other public safety officials in the wake of the June 1 tornadoes to lend a helping hand. That loose collective blossomed into the Chainsaw Response Team, which has dedicated many hours to cleanup efforts in Monson and other tornado-ravaged communities.
Instead of fighting crime or fires, the team fights fallen trees -- a whole lot of which came down in heavily forested Monson and still clutter some secondary roads in the semi-rural town.
Green, his crew and "anyone and everyone who would like to help" will gather at the intersection of King Street and East Hill Road on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.
Any questions can be directed to Green at (413) 387-7722. And anyone wishing to make a financial contribution is asked to make their donations payable to "LE Chainsaw Crew Monson Tornado Relief." Donations can be made at any Florence Savings Bank, and more information is available on the Chainsaw Response Team's Facebook page.
After a series of violent twisters ripped through the region earlier this month, local law enforcement officers and firefighters came together with chainsaws and manpower, according to Green, to help assist local residents with the removal of debris and trees from affected properties.
Since the launching of the Chainsaw Response Team on June 4, more than 40 people have volunteered their time and energy to cleanup efforts in Monson and elsewhere, according to team organizers, who say it costs roughly $1,500 a day to run the operation.
The Chainsaw Response Team provides no-cost tree removal and covers multiple properties in a single day, which is why team organizers are always looking for volunteers or financial assistance to help offset the cost of running heavy machinery.
The crew hopes to continue its efforts for at least several more weeks.