I had to buy three saws after Hurricane Irma. I learned a lot.

First thing to ask yourself: what type of saw do you need?

Cutting trees is very dangerous, and only about 0.001% of the population makes any effort to bone up on safety. While I was saw-shopping, I learned that you are never supposed to cut anything above shoulder height, and you should never use a ladder. To get around these safety problems, I bought an Echo pole saw. This is a small chainsaw attached to a pole. You can use it to cut things above shoulder height because it can't fall and hit you in the leg or foot. It's also safer than a regular saw when you use a ladder. Finally, if you're cutting a really scary tree, the pole saw will give you a six-foot head start when you run away.

For felling trees, you want a big saw. I got the biggest Echo Home Depot sells. It cuts like a light saber. Very fast. Unfortunately, big saws are heavy. They're the wrong tools for bucking (cutting up) downed trees, unless you're a powerlifter.

For bucking, I bought a 16" Jonsered. These things are made by Husqvarna. It was the only decent 16" saw available in my county on the day I bought it. It's much better for cutting limbs off and breaking logs into sections.

Obviously, there is some overlap. You can buck logs with a felling saw, and you can fell trees with a 16" saw. You should figure out what you'll be doing most of the time and buy something suited for it.

You will need files and file handles to sharpen your saw. Files come in different sizes, so make sure you get the right ones. Sharpen after every tank of gas. When the saw produces dust instead of chunks, it's dull.

If you're moving anything even a little bit heavy, get yourself a timberjack. This is a tool like a peavey. It will allow you to roll a 400-pound log over by yourself, and it will hold it off the ground while you cut it. Never let your saw's blade touch dirt.

Watch a lot of Youtube safety videos. Learn how to bore-cut so you don't get killed by a barber-chairing tree. Get a hardhat. Consider chaps. Get safety-toe boots. Wear ear plugs or muffs every time you start the saw.

Chainsaws will find a million ways to burn you. The blade can burn you. The muffler can burn you. Wear gloves when handling a hot saw, at least until you know what you're doing. Don't put gas in a hot saw.

Buy plastic wedges and a hatchet to drive them, and learn to use them. Otherwise, expect heavy trees to trap your saw all the time.

I wish someone had told me these things before I started sawing.