Tropical Storm Fay damaged more than 17 thousand homes across the state, but it could prove to be a savior for some small businesses. Roofers, landscapers, and tree trimmers all have their hands full fixing the damage Fay caused.

Mario Menduni and his crew have been busy cutting up trees… ever since Tropical Storm Fay ripped through the panhandle.

“First call was Friday night at 11:00. A guy had a huge pine tree split in two. He was afraid it was going to hit his house.

Fay damaged thousands of homes across the state. Mario says the storm’s been bittersweet.

“Financially this is good for us. Its much more dangerous work though. I definitely welcome business, but these are not the circumstances I’d pray for.”

Huge jobs like removing this giant tree will keep businesses like Mario’s busy. Especially once homeowners begin receiving their insurance checks.

More than 17,000 claims were filed with the state’s top five insurance companies.

Ed Domansky of the State Office of Insurance Regulation says insurance checks should be in the mail soon.

“People will benefit as the policyholders start getting their claims paid. Specifically we’re talking about people in the construction industry, people in the supply industry, as well as the economy as a whole.”

The storm will help Chris Waters will put extra money in his pocket. Chris picks up tree limbs for Mario’s company as a second job.

“Two weeks ago I wouldn’t even call him for a job to be honest with you because there really wasn’t much to be done. Now that I know he’s busy, I call him every once and a while, see what what’s going on. If these storms keep coming he’ll be busy for the next year or so.”

While people in the tree trimming industry say the last thing they want is a dangerous hurricane season, when it comes to their economic health a storm could be the saving grace in a state where the majority of the unemployed are blue collar workers.

Cleanup efforts will help provide jobs for an estimated 6-thousand people in the state. Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation received a federal grant to hire people to pick up debris.