Frank Flegeal, an Upper Dublin resident since 1984, has created a seven-part documentary to mark the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida, The Reporter said.

The September 2021 storm “produced historic flooding levels and an EF-2 tornado to the region. It came through with powerful force, downing trees, power lines, damaging properties, and killing four people, including a 68-year-old Upper Dublin woman”, according to their coverage.

Upper Dublin High School was closed for a month. Montgomery County received on average 8.25 inches of rain. According to county officials, a tornado started in Whitemarsh Township, moved into Upper Dubin and then moved up 309 to Horsham.

Flegeal, a member of the Upper Dublin Historical Commission, interviewed more than a dozen people for the documentary, including members of the “Chainsaw Gang”, a group of people equipped with chainsaws who helped clear the post-storm debris.

Chainsaw Gang member Barbara Mass, a math teacher at Upper Dublin High School, told The Reporter the group tended to over 300 homes.

“We stopped counting houses after like 300. Like there’s no way we could tell you how many houses,” Mass said. “I mean, thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars were probably saved out of pocket of these families because they didn’t have to have someone come in and do it.”

The finished documentary features 75 minutes of content which can be found in the Upper Dublin History Youtube channel. The final additions are expected in October.

You can watch the most recent addition below:

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Screengrab: Youtube