Omaha neighbors head to Council Bluffs for storm recovery supplies

Generators and chain saws are a hot commodity in Council Bluffs. Omaha neighbors who couldn't find tools for storm recovery closer to home drove across the river for chainsaws and generators.

• "From Omaha but we came over here to Iowa to grab a generator for my aunt,” said Shawna Bradley. “She's a paraplegic and she needs power for her bed, her wound vac, and also for her chair in order to charge it."
• "Anything lawn and garden that comes with cleanup after big storms we tend to have an increase,” said Westlake Ace Hardware supervisor, Airamee Deboot. “But especially since we had that storm out in Minden, Iowa as well as what we just had yesterday, it has been a definite increase."

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Generators and chain saws are a hot commodity in Council Bluffs. I'm your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel. I spoke with several Nebraskans who had to cross the river to find the clean-up supplies that they needed.

Generators were running low, but Shawna Bradley found one. For some, they just keep the lights on. For others, they're essential for staying healthy.

"From Omaha but we came over here to Iowa to grab a generator for my aunt,” said Bradley. “She's a paraplegic and she needs power for her bed, her wound vac and also for her chair in order to charge it."

Another neighbor from Omaha told me he was buying a generator because his daughter's medicine needed to be refrigerated.

Across town, at Ace Hardware, Floor Supervisor Airamee Deboot says chainsaws were doing a brisk business in Council Bluffs and in Omaha.

"As long as we're helping the community around us, that's what we're really here for," said Deboot.

People pouring in, looking for tools.

"It's been a pretty steady flow since eleven o'clock today,” Deboot said. “We are already starting to, at least our stock is getting a little bit lower."

The store ordered more chainsaws to meet demand.

"Anything lawn and garden that comes with cleanup after big storms we tend to have an increase,” said Deboot. “But especially since we had that storm out in Minden, Iowa as well as what we just had yesterday, it has been a definite increase."

Storm damage in Council Bluffs is less extensive than in Omaha and I spoke to multiple Nebraskans who were able to find supplies in CB, but at least one store already had bare shelves in the generator section and very few chainsaws left.