Volunteers Help Residents Impacted by Recent Storms, Tornado in New Haven

A group of volunteers are helping New Haven residents that were impacted by recent storms and a tornado less than two weeks ago.

Volunteers for veteran-led disaster response organization Team Rubicon are clearing downed trees, surveying sites and removing debris, the organization said. The group is also sawing up trees and hauling debris from residents' yards, they added.

“This area was hard hit in 2018 and we were here to help this community then. It’s unfortunate that residents have been impacted again, but we are honored to be able to assist them with clean up and head toward recovery,” said Christopher Sherwood. He is an incident commander for this operation and is a former member of the U.S. Army Reserve.

On August 27, an exceptional thunderstorm in the greater New Haven area produced an EF-1 tornado in Bethany, Hamden, and North Haven followed by a remarkable area of powerful straight line winds in North Branford, East Haven, Branford, and the Leetes Island section of Guilford, according to NBC Connecticut Chief Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan.

The group arrived to the New Haven-area on Monday and said it plans to stay to help through the rest of the week.