Weeks of work may be ahead for windstorm cleanup
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The weekend windstorm resulted in 90 tree-related calls and nearly 80 blown roofs reported.
Now, those trees and roofs have to get repaired. And those who’ll be doing the fixing say it may keep them busy for weeks or even months.
“We’re working 24/7, we have a lot of emergency calls,” said Marcus Asman, the owner of Small Axe Tree Service. “We’re going at night with electric chainsaws and headlamps if we have to.”
Asman and a crew were at a Mililani home Monday afternoon, finishing work on a previously scheduled project to remove a large mango tree that could have posed a danger to a neigboring home. They’d be heading next to an emergency job in Kaimuki to deal with large palm trees damaged by the winds.
The strong gusts have also been keeping building contractors on the go, dealing with damaged rooftops.
“As soon as I woke up the phone calls have been coming in. And I have a lot of assessments tomorrow to do and should be busy,” said Chief Popa of Chief Builders, a building contractor.
The city is also looking at what to do next with three century-old kiawe trees that fell at Kapiolani Park Sunday due to the high winds. The Department of Parks and Recreation is still determine whether a city crew or contractor will remove the trees, and what will happen to the wood.
Meanwhile, Marcus Asman said the storm will mean a lot of work.
“This will last six months after this happens because people are going to start looking at their trees in a totally different way," he said.
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