FEMA External Affairs 
DR-1852-ME 
 
Video transcript -- Long Island, Maine - A SUCCESS STORY 
Duration: 02:34 
 
INTRO SLIDE: 
In April of 2007, a powerful windstorm devastated the forests of Long Island, 
Maine. 
With the assistance of FEMA, the town developed a Debris Removal Plan. 
 
VIDEO: Pan upwards of spruce trees. Medium shot of Coleman R. Clarke, director 
of Long Island Emergency Managment Agency. View of downed spruce trees. 
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
THE TREES ARE 80 TO 100 FEET TALL; BEAUTIFUL, STRAIGHT, NICE SPRUCE TREES AND 
THEY JUST - BECAUSE THEY'RE SO TALL - AT THE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 85 MILES PER 
HOUR, IT'S JUST LIKE DOMINOS. THEY JUST BLEW RIGHT OVER. 
 
VIDEO: Bulldozer drives past frame. Worker attaching a chain around a large 
downed tree to the back of a bulldozer. Medium shot of Coleman Clarke.  
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
WE'RE REMOVING THE DEBRIS, AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE TAKING IT AND PUTTING IT INTO 
DIFFERENT RESOURCES. THE LOGS ARE GOING TO A MILL, TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER 
PRODUCT: LUMBER OR  
FURNITURE OR WHATEVER IT GOES TO. THE CHIPS ARE GOING TO BIO-MASS TO MAKE 
ELECTRICITY AND THEN  
THE PULPWOOD IS GOING TO MAKE PAPER.  
 
VIDEO: Worker in hardhat walks alongside a large downed tree, measuring it and 
using his chainsaw, begins to cut limbs off the tree. 
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE DOING THIS, WE'RE REMOVING THE FIRE DANGER, WE'RE 
REDUCING THE DANGER AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO JUMPSTART THE REGROWTH OF THE FOREST 
BECAUSE WE'VE REMOVED ALL THAT MATERIAL OFF THE PROPERTIES. 
 
VIDEO: Medium close-up of Coleman Clarke. View of Coleman Clarke and Hank 
Gallant of FEMA surveying property. 
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
THE DEBRIS PLAN IS, WE - ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAINE FOREST SERVICE - WE 
HIRED A FORESTER AND THEN WE WORKED WITH HANK GALLANT FROM FEMA. 
 
VIDEO: Hank Gallant getting into a truck. Zoom-out to a large pile of downed 
tree debris. Medium shot of Hank Gallant talking on camera.  
HANK GALLANT: 
OKAY, WHEN I FIRST GOT TO LONG ISLAND AND DICKIE CLARKE TOOK ME AROUND, I COULD 
SEE THAT THEY HAD A VERY SERIOUS POTENTIAL PROBLEM IN A FIRE SITUATION BECAUSE 
IF A FIRE STARTED FROM A LIGHTENING STRIKE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU'D HAVE 
DIFFICULTY GETTING THE PEOPLE OFF THE ISLAND. IT WAS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.   
 
VIDEO: Medium close-up of Coleman Clarke. 
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
HANK HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE IN HELPING ME, YOU KNOW, GUIDE ME IN THE RIGHT 
PLACES TO GO TO GET THE INFORMATION TO GO AHEAD. 
 
VIDEO: Panoramic View of Long Island coastline. Medium shot of worker cleaning 
the chain link blades of his chainsaw. View of hill with downed spruce trees. 
Truck driving down dirt road. Two men in front of forest discussing debris 
removal. 
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
SO WE HIRED A FORESTER. THE FORESTER CAME DOWN AND DID A TOUR OF THE ISLAND. HE 
CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT BASICALLY OUTLINES - BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE DEBRIS IS - 
IS TO DO A CONVENTIONAL LOGGING OPERATION WHICH INCLUDES HANDCUTTERS AND 
SKIDDERS TO BRING THE DEBRIS OUT. AND THEN WE'VE TAKEN IT TO A CENTRAL LOGGING 
YARD TO STOCKPILE AND PROCESS BEFORE WE SHIP IT OFF THE ISLAND. 
 
VIDEO: Medium close-up of Coleman Clarke. Two men walking down dirt road. 
COLEMAN CLARKE: 
EVERY TIME I THINK OF IT, IT REALLY AMAZES ME HOW WE PUT THIS TOGETHER. IT'S 
PRETTY COOL. 
 
FINAL SLATE: For more information visit www.fema.gov.