Islander looks to recover after fire takes home, livelihood
GoFundMe account opened to help
Damage left behind after the fire destroyed Steve Long’s island home.
Photos submitted by Anna Long
On Sunday, Feb. 22, islander and commercial fisherman Steve Long endured a disastrous fire at his house, which he’d built with his own father. According to Pine Islander Anna Long, her father was out on one of his boats fishing at the time of the fire.
The elder Long lost much of his work equipment in the blaze.
“Because he was on his little boat when it happened, he does have his truck, because his truck was parked at the dock and he has his little boat, but he hasn’t just completely lost his house, he’s lost his livelihood. Yesterday he was saying he just wants to go to work and he can’t even do that because he has no fishing poles or cast nets or any of it. All of his equipment is gone, ” Anna said.
On the first night after the fire, her father slept in his truck, she said. By day 2, they got him a tent because he would not leave the property, but he told her there were many coyotes so she said he ended up back in his truck again.
He did receive a travel trailer from a Pine Islander, which she said would not have been likely to have happened anywhere else.
Just after the fire, Anna said she went to the Beacon of HOPE and immediately found help via Executive Director Nancy Cote, who helped her father pick out some clothes.
Just beside the house was Long’s crab boat, which his daughter said was uninsured and taken in the fire, equating to a total loss.
She also said her father was very close to her late mother, beloved artist Mel Meo, until she passed.
Often what we might feel we need in a situation such as this, is not what someone else may feel meets their particular needs, she said. Currently, Steve Long needs ice, gas cans, water, fishing poles, cast nets and coolers.
Anyone wishing to help, a GoFundmM account has been established. Go to www.gofundme.com and search “Help Islander Steve Long After the Fire.”
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC, please email pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com