4.9 · 462 Google reviews · Licensed & Insured
After the Storm: The First 24 Hours
Downed lines, hanging limbs and split trunks - what to do first, what to photograph, and what not to touch. Emergency crews: (727) 365-1803.
“Fast quote and when we decided it was time to remove our Oak, they were there on time and ready to get to work. They have all the equipment necessary for this huge job and work very efficiently.”
- 462 Google reviews
- Licensed & Insured
- ISA Certified Arborist on staff
- Pinellas since 1989
If you’re reading this on a phone with the power out, here’s the short version: safety first, documentation second, cleanup third. Don’t reverse that order.
1. Safety first
Stay away from any downed power line
and treat every one as energized regardless of how it looks. Call the utility, and call 911 if there’s immediate danger to a person.
Don’t walk under or near hanging, broken limbs still caught in the canopy
These "hangers" are genuinely more dangerous than the debris already on the ground, they look stable and they’re not, and post-storm injuries from limbs that finally let go hours or days later are a real, well-documented risk in this line of work. Keep people and pets clear of the area underneath.
Check for structural damage to your home
before deciding it’s safe to stay inside a room a tree or limb has hit, a compromised roof or wall can be more dangerous than it looks from inside.
Watch for split trunks or leaning trees
that survived the storm but are now structurally compromised. A tree that’s still standing isn’t necessarily a tree that’s still sound.
2. Document before you touch anything
Once it’s safe to be outside, photograph everything before you move it, downed limbs, damaged structures, the tree itself from multiple angles, and anything on your property the storm affected. This matters more than most people realize: an insurance adjuster works from what you can show them, and debris that’s already been moved, bagged, or hauled away is debris they can’t independently verify. See our insurance claim page for what an adjuster typically wants documented.
Take wide shots showing the whole scene and close-ups of specific damage. Note the date and time if your phone doesn’t do it automatically.
3. Then, cleanup
Once you’ve got safety handled and the damage documented, clearing debris and addressing anything still hazardous, a hanging limb, a leaning tree, a trunk resting on a structure, becomes the priority. This is where we come in: see our storm damage cleanup and storm debris removal pages, or call directly if the situation is actively dangerous rather than just messy, see our emergency tree service page for that distinction.
Start here
Send us a photo of the tree.
You do not have to know whether it needs to come down. That is the part we are for.
- One photo, whole tree in frameTrunk base to top. A close-up of anything that looks wrong helps.
- Text us the photoThe text button below opens the right thread. Add your street and city.
- We come out and lookEvery estimate is in person, free, sometimes the answer is that it needs nothing.
What not to do
- Don’t try to cut or move a hanging limb yourself.
- Don’t assume a downed line is dead because the power’s out at your house.
- Don’t clear debris before photographing it if you’re planning to file a claim.
- Don’t assume a tree that’s still standing came through undamaged, a storm-stressed tree can fail well after the wind has stopped.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s actually the biggest injury risk after a storm? Hanging, broken limbs still caught in the canopy, they look stable and can come down without warning.
Should I move debris before or after I take photos? After. Moving debris before it’s documented can complicate an insurance claim.
What if a tree is on power lines? Stay away entirely and treat every downed line as energized. Call the utility, and 911 if there’s immediate danger.
How fast can you actually get to storm damage? It depends on the storm’s scale and current crew availability, call (727) 365-1803 for a real answer, not a blanket promise.
Next step
Call (727) 365-1803 for storm damage that’s actively hazardous. For cleanup that isn’t an emergency, request a free estimate.
Google reviews
Rated 4.9 by 462 of your neighbors.
Reviews · After the Storm: The First 24 Hours
4.9
462 reviews on Google, the count on our public Google listing
“Happy trees did an amazing job cutting my trees and providing information. Steve was really nice and knowledgeable. Great communication and pricing. Definitely will be using their service again!!”
“Fast quote and when we decided it was time to remove our Oak, they were there on time and ready to get to work. They have all the equipment necessary for this huge job and work very efficiently.”
Every one of these lives on our public Google listing, where we cannot edit or delete a word. Read them all on Google →
Frequently asked
Questions we get asked on this one.
What's actually the biggest injury risk after a storm?
Hanging, broken limbs still caught in the canopy, not the debris already on the ground. A limb that looks stuck can come down without warning, hours or days later, and post-storm injuries from these "hangers" are a well-known hazard in tree work precisely because they look stable until they aren’t.
Should I move debris before or after I take photos?
After you photograph it, not before. Moving debris, even just to clear a walkway, before it’s documented can complicate an insurance claim, since the adjuster is working from what you show them, not from memory. Photograph first, from multiple angles, then clear.
What if a tree is on power lines?
Stay away from it entirely and treat every downed line as energized until the utility confirms otherwise, that’s not our call to make and it’s not yours either. Call the utility and, if there’s any immediate danger, 911.
How fast can you actually get to storm damage?
That depends on the storm’s scale and where you are in our schedule when you call, we won’t quote a blanket response time here. Call (727) 365-1803 and we’ll give you a real answer based on current conditions and crew availability.