DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — In Southwest Detroit, residents took matters into their own hands when tree branches fell and blocked a portion of Pearl Street.
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"We said let's just do it, and we chopped it up with a machete and jumped on it and got it out of the road here to the side," Jessica Miller-Ramirez said.
Miller-Ramirez, who has lived in Southwest Detroit for 15 years, was among the neighbors who helped clear the debris from Pearl Street.
"It was literally an inch away from the car right there so if it would have cracked anymore it would have went into that car so we just wanted to make sure it was safe for everybody," Miller-Ramirez said.
She notified the City of Detroit about the fallen tree but wanted to ensure the area was cleared quickly for safety reasons.
"There's a lot of kids and a lot of elderly on this block and there's actually people who have major medical issues on this block that if an ambulance needed to come, they couldn't get through," Miller-Ramirez said.
Her daughter, Madeline Joy Fern, also participated in the cleanup effort.
"I like being able to connect with people… I got to meet new neighbors and see them and help them," Fern said.
Helping others comes naturally to Miller-Ramirez, who runs a non-profit called Detroiters Helping Each Other.
"We take donations people have that they no longer need, clothing, furniture, household items… and we give it to those in need for free," Miller-Ramirez said.
Detroit residents who have downed trees in non-emergency situations can report them through the Improve Detroit app.
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