Team Rubicon Volunteers Deploy to Allegan County with Chainsaw Crews to Assist Tornado-Affected Communities
ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — Allegan County Emergency Management is pleased to announce that Team Rubicon, a national nonprofit disaster relief organization, will be deploying volunteer chainsaw crews to assist residents in storm-impacted communities following the tornado that struck portions of Allegan County on April 14, 2026. Communities receiving support include Otsego Township, the City of Otsego, the City of Plainwell, Gun Plain Township, and Cheshire Township.
Team Rubicon’s trained volunteers will provide chainsaw cutting services to reduce downed trees and large limbs on residential properties, helping affected homeowners take a meaningful step toward recovery. It is important for residents to understand that Team Rubicon’s mission in this deployment is limited to chainsaw operations — volunteers will cut and section downed trees and debris, but are not able to haul or remove debris from properties.
Residents in the affected townships and cities who have downed trees or large storm debris on their property and are in need of chainsaw assistance are asked to complete the self-reporting damage assessment tool found on the Allegan County Emergency Management website or call 211 to request assistance. Crews will prioritize requests from households with elderly, disabled, or otherwise unable residents who are unable to safely address the debris on their own, though all requests are welcome.
Complete the damage assessment at: www.allegancounty.org/emergency. or
Contact 211 to request chainsaw assistance
Allegan County Emergency Management is actively working to identify a debris-hauling solution for affected residents and will provide an update as soon as that information becomes available. Residents are encouraged to monitor the Allegan County Emergency Management website at www.allegancounty.org/emergency or the Allegan County Emergency Management Facebook page for the latest updates. This service is provided at no cost to residents.
Chainsaw operations will begin Monday, April 20, 2026, at noon and conclude Friday, April 24, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Residents are asked to ensure that debris is accessible and that crews have clear access to the property upon arrival.
About Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon is a nonprofit organization that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy disaster response teams. Since 2010, Team Rubicon has mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to assist communities recovering from natural disasters across the United States and around the world. For more information, visit teamrubiconusa.org.
About Allegan County Emergency Management
Allegan County Emergency Management coordinates preparedness, response, and recovery activities across Allegan County, Michigan. The office works with local, regional, state, and federal partners to protect the safety and resilience of Allegan County communities. For more information, visit www.allegancounty.org/emergency.
Media Contact
EOC Public Information Officer
Allegan County Emergency Management: Please direct any media inquiries to eocpio@allegancounty.org.
###
