VIDEO: Just Over a Week More of Debris Hauling

Sean Hunt was in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina as a contractor helping with cleanup efforts from September 2005 to spring of 2006, but he still found a week to come home, get married and go on a honeymoon, followed by another week off for Christmas.

As CFO and vice president of Michael's Tree and Loader Service, he will be spending his wedding anniversary Thursday overseeing debris removal in Avon, just over a month since the Oct. 29 snowstorm. The crews have been in town since Nov. 14.

The tree service workers were however able to enjoy a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal even though they were far away from home. Cooking is former fire chief Harvey Reeser's passion and he had originally invited the Michael's crews to his home, later collaborating with the Avon Volunteer Fire Department to host nearly 70 of the out-of-state workers for a holiday feast. Miller Foods donated five turkeys.

"Harvey from the fire department did an amazing job," Hunt said. "It was very nice to sit down and have a nice homecooked meal out of town."

Travel is the norm for many contractors like Michael's, which has 20 employees and has come to Connecticut from Memphis, TN for storm cleanup jobs in Avon, Farmington and Glastonbury. While hauling nears completion in Avon and Farmington, roughly a week and a half more, Michael's got started on Glastonbury a couple weeks later, so they will likely be there for Christmas.

The company has also hired subcontractors for Connecticut debris removal that come from Montana, California, Florida, Ohio and countrywide.

Michael's was last in Connecticut for debris removal in 2004. Avon has many windy narrow roads, which can sometimes be a large challenge for the larger trucks. Hunt said they had some time to prepare themselves for what to expect with the terrain, since, unlike the linesmen, they did not come into town right after the storm.

"We were able to look at the town and bid on the town. Logistically were were able to make plans on what equipment we'd need," Hunt said. "It's always a learning curve. It's got to be a quick learning curve."

There have been select cases of residents clearing entire lots of trees for pickup, such as one home on Surrey Lane that left around 100 cubic yards of wood in the right of way. Some residents have gotten frustrated with tree service crews for not picking up brush they put out on the town right of ways after the Nov. 21 deadline. However, Hunt said that for the most part, Avon residents have been very cooperative.

"The residents have been fantastic, the town employees have been fantastic. Everyone has been amazing to work with," Hunt said.