Sand in the Coffee, Vol. 127: the neighbor with the chainsaw, and how to help without getting in the way
Every storm produces the same two people on the same street. One has a chainsaw and a plan. The other has good intentions and an SUV full of things nobody asked for. This column is for the second person, and I say that with love, because I have been the second person.
You want to help, which is the right instinct. Here is how to make it count.
ask before you show up
Roads are the first problem after a storm, and an extra car is a problem for crews trying to clear them. If you’re a neighbor, a short text beats a visit: “I’m free this afternoon. What do you need?” Then do that thing, not the thing you imagined.
money moves faster than stuff
A box of canned goods is kind, but sorting it takes a volunteer’s whole afternoon. Cash to an organization already working on the ground goes where it is needed that day. The Salvation Army has canteens out in Escambia County serving hot meals. If you want to give, give to the group that is already standing there.
if you do bring things
Call first and ask what they’re short on. The usual answers are boring and useful: bottled water, batteries, tarps, work gloves, garbage bags, baby supplies, pet food. Leave the old clothes, the knickknacks and the surplus from the garage at home. A distribution site is not a place to clear your closet, and volunteers won’t tell you that to your face.
the chainsaw rule
If your help involves a saw, a roof or a power line, the answer is no unless you have done it before. Downed lines can be live, and a tree under tension behaves like a spring. Let the people who do this for a living go first. There is plenty to do on the ground, with a rake and a wheelbarrow.
check on the quiet ones
The neighbor who won’t call is the one to knock on. Older folks, people with medical equipment and anyone whose lights are still out tend to say they’re fine. Ask them what they ate today. It’s a better question than “are you okay?“
and if you’re a visitor
You can help by waiting. A tourist weekend in the middle of recovery takes up a room, a table and a staffer’s attention that somebody needs more. Keep your trip on the calendar, rebook it for later this fall, and come back when the place is ready for you. Check /beach-today/ for flags and conditions before you do. Surf stays rough for a while after a storm, and the flag will tell you before the sky does.
The coast comes back the way it always has: one driveway at a time, with somebody at the end of it holding a rake. Be that person, or be the one who sends the check. Both count.
— Chris
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