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Selectmen, Ashe survey tornado damage in Hampden

Date: 7/26/2011

July 25, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

HAMPDEN — On July 18, State Rep. Brian Ashe visited Ames Road along with the Board of Selectmen to survey properties in that area that sustained damage during the June 1 tornado.

Residents are hoping to receive some governmental aid in the cleanup of their properties, but thus far have been denied help by both the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency because most of the damage was tree damage or cosmetic damage to homes.

However, debris, including large sections of trees, remains on the properties. Some of those trees are on private property after residents helped the town by clearing the roads themselves instead of waiting for the Department of Public Works to do it for them.

“People in this area took it upon themselves to help clear the road,” Ashe said. “Now I think the frustration they feel comes from watching the news and seeing other communities getting assistance with cleanup. It’s trees, so people on the outside looking in don’t think of it as a priority, but for the people on the inside, it’s top on their list.

“They understood that there were areas that were far worse that needed help first, but now, a month and a half later, I think they are wondering where the help is for them. They want to either have someone come out and remove the wood or get some money to help defray the cost of getting rid of it themselves,” he continued.

Ashe said the town is in a difficult financial position and therefore is limited in what it can offer and even if it finds the money, because of town by-laws, any allocation of funds would have to pass through a vote at a town meeting.

“That’s why we are looking at passing legislation for towns to by-pass those kinds of by-laws in times of emergency so towns can be better equipped to aid its citizens,” he said. “This has been an incredible learning experience for us in all aspects, especially how we act in emergency situations.”

Ashe added that one of the major concerns he and other officials have is the amount of dry wood on the ground and the increased danger of fires due to high temperatures and lack of rain recently.

“There is so much wood everywhere that if there was ever a fire, the whole place could be in danger of going up in flames,” he said, adding the issue of fires had also been addressed by Monson recently.

Ashe said he would continue to do what he could to get aid to the people of Hampden, whether through the United States Department of Agriculture or other means.



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