Chainsaw Famine in the South

[ScoutmasterRick]

Store struggles to satisfy demand for chain saws
By Patrick Rupinski Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 6:26 p.m.
Dusty Compton | Tuscaloosa News

Northport Power Equipment Inc. usually sells about 300 chain saws a year. It has sold more than 400 in the last week.

Even before the painstaking cleanup from last week’s killer tornadoes began, chain saws were in high demand as fallen trees had to be cut so that rescuers could get into devastated neighborhoods and people could get back to their homes.

“We reopened the store Wednesday night (April 27)

after the storms hit,” said Evelyn Ellis, whose son, Keith Ellis, manages the store that the Ellis family has owned since 1996.

She said a regular customer who has a construction company called her at home right after the storm hit, saying he needed chain saws immediately. Since then the store has opened daily, including Sunday when it is normally closed, and it has stayed open longer.

The store, which is one of the largest Husqvarna chain saw dealers in the Southeast, normally sells few chain saws in the spring. Most are sold in winter.

“This time of the year, we are usually selling lawn mowers, tractors, weed eaters,” Ellis said.

But the last week has been anything but normal in Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas.

Customers came in the night of the tornado and afterward wanting chain saws and their accessories. Chain saws, chaps, hard hats, bar chain oil, saw chain belts and generators were in high demand, she said.

About noon last Thursday, her oldest son, Bryant Ellis, drove to Auburn to get a truckload of chain saws from a dealer there who had extra stock. But the load was sold out almost as soon he got back.

Less than a day later, Husqvarna, a Swedish company whose U.S. operations are centered in Charlotte, N.C., packed a semi-trailer full of chain saws and related accessories for shipment to Tuscaloosa.

“A woman driver left there (Charlotte) about 5 o’clock (Friday afternoon) and drove all night to get here the next morning,” Evelyn Ellis said.

Two sales representatives from Oregon Chainsaws also came to the store to help sharpen people’s chain saw blades at no charge. The store at 3395 McFarland Blvd. in Northport is continuing to provide free blade sharpening.

“Our main concern is trying to provide the equipment and help people to make sure chain saws they have are working during the recovery,” Ellis said.

“Normally, we are selling the lawn and gardening equipment in spring, but our mechanics are working with getting the chain saws running and showing people how to use them safely,” she said.

“We just felt the grass could wait, but people’s lives could not wait.”

Link to original story.

I can attest to the scarcity of any chainsaw related item in the Huntsville/Athens area: saws, mix and chain oil, chains, files, etc. The cupboard is just about bare at all of the dealerships, and especially the big box stores. I stopped at a local Husky dealer for some chain (it's amazing the crud you find in blown down trees), and they had a grand total of 3 saws in the store.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

Wowzers

Wowzer. I can not believe how a simple storm can be so able to cause so much damage It ia amazing how people wait till after a disaster to prepare Glad the saw supplier stepped up to help Sorry to hear people are so under prepared for the size of this disaster. Well after this say price on ebay will plumit:msp_wink:

 

[caleath]

Link to original story.

I can attest to the scarcity of any chainsaw related item in the Huntsville/Athens area: saws, mix and chain oil, chains, files, etc. The cupboard is just about bare at all of the dealerships, and especially the big box stores. I stopped at a local Husky dealer for some chain (it's amazing the crud you find in blown down trees), and they had a grand total of 3 saws in the store.

Sounds like what happens around here when we have a hurricane...no plywood or generators to be found.

 

[caleath]

Wowzer. I can not believe how a simple storm can be so able to cause so much damage It ia amazing how people wait till after a disaster to prepare Glad the saw supplier stepped up to help Sorry to hear people are so under prepared for the size of this disaster. Well after this say price on ebay will plumit:msp_wink:

I was thinking the same thing. I would imagine there are some less than honest folks buying up stuff and taking there to sell at a big markup too.

 

[ancy]

We had an ice storm 2 years ago up here and you couldn't hardly find a generator in the store. Now with all the used one running around you can pick them up cheap. It will be the same down there but with saws, watch out for the ones with CAD......

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

Storm

Storms bring up the slimy low life's for sure I say have what you need before hand. Glad a small mom and pop dealer has done the right thing, makes a big impression on the community as a whole.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

If there's so few saws around, I wonder why they're not snapping them up on ebay. I have one runner on there right now and not too many are showing interest, at least no more than usual.

 

[BigMoneyGrip]

Wowzer. I can not believe how a simple storm can be so able to cause so much damage It ia amazing how people wait till after a disaster to prepare Glad the saw supplier stepped up to help Sorry to hear people are so under prepared for the size of this disaster. Well after this say price on ebay will plumit:msp_wink:

Kinda hard to prepare for 150mph winds when most people have lost everything. I was fortunate and only lost about 100 trees. People less than a half mile from me lost everything. I guess one could prepare for these disasters by having another house a few counties over, but that would be crazy.
I think a big percentage of this stuff is bought by the relief workers. I can show you about 50 families that were left just what they were wearing when it hit.
The one good thing was that ours hit in the middle of the day. Had it been in the middle of the night, no telling what the death toll would have been. As it was, we only lost one person in our county.
Scott.

 

[Jtheo]

Wowzer. I can not believe how a simple storm can be so able to cause so much damage It ia amazing how people wait till after a disaster to prepare Glad the saw supplier stepped up to help Sorry to hear people are so under prepared for the size of this disaster. Well after this say price on ebay will plumit:msp_wink:

This was a tornado , not a simple storm, and 7 different ones hit my area. Some were packing 205 MPH winds and traveled several miles on the ground.

The destruction is mind boggling. I saw some of it today, houses just gone with nothing left except the foundation.

There must be thousands of trees on the ground, and thousands of people are living in shelters because everything they owned was blown away.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

I get a bit teary eyed when I read of good people like this! Sharpening chains for free! Bringing extra stock in not once but multiple times! I’m glad it isn’t always about the mighty buck! We could only hope that if we got hit by one of those storms we'd get as good of help!

 

[ScoutmasterRick]

We were lucky and our farm didn't take a direct hit, but one of the tornadoes came close. We had trees down on fences all around, and a lot of our neighbors had trees down. I spent the day after from daylight 'til dark cutting trees and repairing fences for myself and the neighbors.

A lot of folks I know have 75-100 or more trees down. Others lost practically everything they own. It's pretty sobering to see someone standing in a pile of rubble that used to be their home trying to find something worth saving.

Here is the current list of those who died:

A list of those who died in the April 27, 2011 tornadoes
Posted: May 02, 2011 1:55 PM CDT Updated: May 06, 2011 4:38 PM CDT


Names are collected from media reports across the state, and by WAFF-48 News reporters. Names will be added to this list as they are released by authorities and family members.

Counties are listed in alphabetical order, with city names below (if available):

Bibb County

Brent
Ricky Paul Smith, 55


Calhoun County

Ohatchee
Ruby Douthitt, 61
Tina Forrest, 49
Michael Forrest, 54
Arvella Jones, 72
James Romaine, 65

Piedmont
Angel Stillwell, 13

Webster's Chapel
Vernon Spencer Motes, 33

Wellington
Linda Lipscomb
William Lipscomb, 67


Cullman County

Cullman
Lloyd Winford Harris, 68

Johnson Crossing
Keenan Jonathan Sullivan, 20


DeKalb County

Exact location unknown
Chelsie Black
Charlotte Bludsworth
Belinda Boatner
Gene Bullock
Marcella Bullock
Jewell Ewing
Emma Ferguson
Jeremy Ferguson
Tonya Ferguson
Kenneth Graham
Linda Graham
Ruth Hairston, 90
Harold Harcrow
Patricia Harcrow, 75
Jody Huivenga
Lethel Izell, 86
Michael Kilgore
Courtney McGaha
William Michaels
Martha Michaels
Eulah Miller
Ida Ott
Timothy Ott
Ester Rosson, 81
Peggy Sparks
Terry Tinker
Daniel Vermillion
Jidal Vermillion
Herbert Wooten
Juanita Wooten, 70

Ider
Judith White, killed in a fire caused by the storm
Wayne White, killed in a fire caused by the storm


Elmore County

Eclectic
Candice Abernathy
Kammie Abernathy, 5
Melissa Gantt
Alice Lee
Martha Myers
Rebecca Woodall


Fayette County

Boley
Jeffery Kemp, 60
Reba Kemp, 60
Leon Spruell
Sylvia Spruell


Franklin County

Patricia Gentry
Edgar Mojica
Sonya B. Trapp
Martha Pace
Edna Nix
Nila Black
Zan Black
Jack Cox
James Robert Keller Jr
Donald Ray Heaps
Gerri Dean Waller
Carol Dean "C.D." Waller
Dagmar Leyden
Donna R. Berry
Jack Tennehaff
Michael Allen Morgan
Charlene Crochet
Ricky Ethan Knox
Kelli Marie Thorn Morgan
Amy Crystal LeClere
Jay LeClere
Claudia Mojica Palucios
Donnie "Don" Gentry
Georgia Scribner

Lester Hood
Jeffery Cotham

Hale County

Greensboro
Cora L. Brown, 68
Gerald C. Brown, 70

Sawyerville
Henry Lewis, 26
Frankie Lunsford, 55
Elizabeth C. White, 25


Jackson County

Pisgah
Kathy Gray Haney, 45
Herbert Satterfield
Ann Satterfield

Higdon
John Whited
Elease Whited
Shelley Shannon
Janie Shannon

Bridgeport
Brennan Warren, 13


Jefferson County

Pleasant Grove
Louella Bell Thompson, 81
Cheryl Denise Cooper, 47
Tracy A. Traweek, 39
Reba Jones, 75
Nancy L. Wilson, 56
Carrie Grier Lowe, 26
James Jerry Clements, 66
Nancy Wilson, 56

Concord
Ernest C. "Ernie" Mundi Jr., 53
Haley Alexis Kreider, 8
Canatha Hyde Earley, 71
Ramona Sanders, 47
Iva Mae Cantrell, 73
Jennifer Jones, 26
Michael David Kreider, 10
Janet Dixon Hall, 55
Michelle Pearson Kreider, 30

Cahaba Heights
Milton Edward Baker Sr., 68

Pratt City
Bessie Brewster, 72

Forestdale
Kenneth Ray Nation, 64

McDonald Chapel
Deniece Presley, 57


Lawrence County

Chaleybeate
Donald Ray, 76
Lyndon Mayes, 74
Edward Vuknic
Mary Mayes, 72
Mike Dunn, 58
Zora Lee Hale, 80

Langtown
Aurelia Guzman, 12

Mt. Moriah
O'Neal Terry
Allen Terry

Mount Hope
Matthew Adams, 21
J.D. Parker, 70
Horace Smith
Helen Smith


Madison County

Harvest
Ronnie McGaha, 40, Yarbrough Road
Bobby Joe Moore, Old Railroad Bed Road
Rachel Renee Tabor, Yarbrough Road
Frederick Post, Stovall Road
Katie Cornwell, 13, Orvil Smith Road
Harold Fitzgerald, 65, Orvil Smith Road

Toney
Gregory John Braden, Welcome Home Village Drive
Philomena Muotoe, 79, Old Eli Road


Marion County

Rodney Ables
Bridgett Brisboyse Barnwell
Michelle Brown
Peachie Cox
Tina Donais
Chris Dunn
Charles Garner
Mae Garner
Ed Hall
Teresa Hall
Tammy Johnson
Kaarlo Jokela
Leah Jokela
Linda Knight
Freddie Lollie
Vickey Lollie
John Lynch
Inez McCarley
Vicky McGee
Faye Okelley
Jason Ray
Genny Revis

Ken Vaughn
Virginia Widemon

Marshall County

Ruth
Phillip Hallmark, 56
Ann Hallmark, 54
Shane Hallmark, 37
Jennifer Hallmark, 31
Jayden Hallmark, 17 months

St. Clair County

Oberia Ashley, 86
Ronnie Isbell, 56
Tammy Isbell, 31
Leah Isbell, 7
Bertha Cage, 70
Oberia Ashley
Mae Lovell, 97
Albert Sanders
Angie Sanders
Thomas Carl Lee, 64
Charlie Wolfe, 68

Pell City
Precious Harley, 27

Moody
Sandra Gayle McCrory, 56

Tallapoosa County

Dadeville
Katherine Massa, 70


Tuscaloosa County

Tuscaloosa
Ashley Harrison, 22, UA student from Dallas
Melanie Nicole Mixon, UA student
Loryn Brown, UA student from Elmore
Scott Atterton, UA student from Bryant
Morgan Sigler, 21, UA student from Bryant
Will Stevens, Stillman College student
Makayla Edwards, 4
Annie Lois Humphries Sayer


Names reported from al.com, The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times, The Montgomery Advertiser, The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the TimesDaily.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I'm thinking it's time we quit sending people overseas to help victims of natural disasters when we have this right in our own back yard, send them here to help.

 

[spike60]

The scope of weather events like this recent outbreak of tornadoes doesn't just deplete the saw supply in the areas affected. So many saws are shipped into those areas that it affects availability for the whole country. Obviously, nobody at either Husky or Stihl forecast those kinds of sales numbers for the current month. And even though both companies do keep extra saw inventory for these types of disasters, the pipeline often takes a while to get back to normal.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Good for you to help out your neighbors! Tough times brings people together!

We were lucky and our farm didn't take a direct hit, but one of the tornadoes came close. We had trees down on fences all around, and a lot of our neighbors had trees down. I spent the day after from daylight 'til dark cutting trees and repairing fences for myself and the neighbors.

A lot of folks I know have 75-100 or more trees down. Others lost practically everything they own. It's pretty sobering to see someone standing in a pile of rubble that used to be their home trying to find something worth saving.

Here is the current list of those who died:

WoW! I started to read the names.....Then I realized how many there were! Then I just looked out of respect.

Good for you to help out your neighbors! Tough times brings people together!

It will take a while I'm sure to acount for all of the people who fell victom to this storm(s).

 

[WillBrayJr]

Had a nasty Storm in South Bend, IN back when I was 15 years old. Wasn't a Tornado but still bad. We had alot of limbs down on the street I lived on. Since I was freshly expelled from school I spent the day happily cutting up the limbs. I did it because I like a running a Chainsaw.

 

[cowroy]

I really wish I had the money and available time off work to go down and help out with the relief effort.

 

[BigMoneyGrip]

I'm thinking it's time we quit sending people overseas to help victims of natural disasters when we have this right in our own back yard, send them here to help.

I've said this all along. There are plenty of our own people that need help. Lets start helping these and stop "helping" those that feel "entitled".
Unfortunately, our government had rather police the world and ignore its own problems.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I've said this all along. There are plenty of our own people that need help. Lets start helping these and stop "helping" those that feel "entitled".
Unfortunately, our government had rather police the world and ignore its own problems.

There are certain countries that need help perpetually...those are the countries we should cut off from our funds.

 

[ScoutmasterRick]

The dealerships seem to be handling things better than the big box stores. The Lowes and Tractor Supply stores I've been don't have any chainsaw supplies except for some oddball size bars and files. There was no mix or chain oil in sight. I've been to a Husky and a Stihl dealership, and they each actually had 6-8 saws left from recent rush shipments. Both had gotten in a truckload of mix and chain oil. The Husky dealer didn't have any prepackaged chain, but they made up a loop for me real quick. That's not a service you can get at Lowes.

 

[ScottWojo]

If there's so few saws around, I wonder why they're not snapping them up on ebay. I have one runner on there right now and not too many are showing interest, at least no more than usual.

There is a little problem with internet. If people really really need the saw, they may be using what they have, or they have no power to see your saw.