Sean Rogers Jr. grabbed a chainsaw and made a promise to his neighbors: if the Aug. 11 storms knocked a tree onto your property, he'll cut it up and haul it away for free.

Rogers, a Dublin resident, posted the offer on Facebook shortly after winds tore through the city the morning of Aug. 11, toppling trees on Frantz Road, Emerald Parkway, Muirfield Drive, Dublin Road, Rings Road and at Shier-Rings Road and Shamrock Court, Dublin Ohio Daily reported. NBC4 Columbus reported on Aug. 13 that Rogers' post had gone viral, calling him a "Columbus man" offering help after "this week's damaging weather."

The storms struck Dublin around 10:30 a.m. Aug. 11 with wind gusts reaching 82 mph. The National Weather Service suspected a possible tornado passed through Dublin toward Ohio State University's campus, though no official confirmation had been issued as of Aug. 12, according to 614Now.

The damage was widespread. A tree fell across a parking lot at Shier-Rings Road and Shamrock Court, and another snapped near a Dublin hospital, according to NBC4 storm photos. At the storm's peak, more than 100,000 central Ohio customers lost power. By the morning of Aug. 12, 84,000 AEP Ohio customers remained without electricity statewide, with 63,000 of those outages concentrated in Franklin County. AEP said it had already restored service to 89,000 customers but warned full restoration could take days given the scale of the damage.

Rogers' offer stands out against that backdrop. His Facebook post invited anyone with downed trees to reach out directly, though the full contact details were not available from published reports as of Aug. 13.

Dublin homeowners dealing with storm damage also have a financial option: Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano announced that affected properties can apply for a temporary reduction in assessed value, potentially lowering tax bills until repairs are complete. We reported on that program Aug. 11.

Upcoming community dates

  • Aug. 25, 6–7:30 p.m.: Deer Management Public Input Session, Council Chambers, 5555 Perimeter Drive. City staff and wildlife experts will discuss Dublin's targeted deer removal program.
  • Aug. 27, 6–8 p.m.: First annual Dublin Scioto Irish Football Frenzy pep rally, 4000 Hard Road. Free admission; VIP tickets $10. Organized by the Dublin Scioto Touchdown Club and Dublin Scioto Cheer Boosters.