Storm Response and Emergency Tree Service SOP

Purpose

Standardize emergency response after wind, ice, or thunderstorm damage. This is the highest-paid + highest-risk work tree services do. After major storms, prices triple + safety risk multiplies. This SOP keeps crews + customers + the cash flow safe.

Scope

Residential storm-damaged trees: trees-on-house, downed limbs across access, trees on cars, trees on fences, partially-fallen trees still under spring tension. Excludes utility-line work (call utility company FIRST - energized lines are not your scope without certification).

Prerequisites

• Crew prepped for after-hours dispatch
• Stocked trucks: chainsaws (multiple sizes), rigging gear, climbing gear, generator, lights, first-aid + AED
• Tarp inventory: customer needs roof patches when tree-on-house damage occurs
• Crane partner on call (some jobs require crane within hours)
• Insurance adjuster contact list (you'll work with adjusters all week)
• Permit awareness (some jurisdictions waive permits during emergency; verify)
• Per-job written authorization template (storm chaos creates payment disputes)

First 30 minutes after call

Step 1: Triage on phone

1. Anyone hurt? Call 911 first.
2. Power line involved? Call utility company FIRST. Do not approach.
3. Gas smell? Call gas company.
4. Tree on house with people inside? Evacuate to a safe room or outside.
5. Standing water in basement? Power off at main breaker if safe.
6. Schedule arrival ETA realistically (storm calls stack up; over-promise = customer churn).

Step 2: Quote framework

Phone quotes during storm response are ranges, not fixed prices:

• Limb across drive (no power line):
• Tree across drive:
• Tree on house (minor):
• Tree on house (significant):
• Tree on car: (then car owner deals with car)
• Tree on fence:

Final price after site visit + written estimate. Insurance often pays; help customer document for claim.

On-site procedure

Step 1: Site assessment (before any tool)

1. Walk perimeter
2. Identify ALL hazards: live power lines, gas lines, broken windows, structural collapse
3. Photograph everything for insurance + scope record
4. Listen for creaking - partially-fallen tree may still be moving
5. Check spring tension on limbs (limbs bent + held by other branches store enormous force)

Step 2: Establish exclusion zone

1. Twice the height of the fallen tree
2. Cones, tape, or visible barriers
3. Crew briefing: drop zones, escape routes, communication signals
4. Bystanders + customer + neighbors OUT of zone

Step 3: Power lines

If utility lines are touching the tree, downed, or sparking:

• CALL the utility company FIRST
• Wait for de-energization confirmation
• DO NOT cut, drag, or approach
• Even "dead" lines can re-energize from backfeed (generator next door)
• Lines on cars: occupants stay in car until utility arrives (vehicle frame protects)

This is the most common cause of fatalities in tree work after storms.

Step 4: Tree on house - assessment first

Before any cut:

1. Walk inside the house to see internal damage
2. Identify what's structural vs ornamental
3. Photograph every angle
4. Tarp + secure any roof penetrations (rain damage compounds fast)
5. Plan removal direction - sometimes a crane is required + worth waiting 4-6 hours for

Cutting a tree off a house wrong DOUBLES the damage. Many "small tree on house" calls require crane removal because a section drop into the existing damage makes it worse.

Step 5: Spring tension limbs

A limb under spring tension is a chainsaw operator's worst hazard:

1. Identify which end is held + which is loaded
2. Cuts release stored energy - predict the snap direction
3. Use a felling lever or rope to control release
4. Stand on the OPPOSITE side from snap direction
5. Bore-cut + plunge-cut techniques release tension gradually

Never stand inside the bend curve of a tension limb.

Step 6: Section-down following remove SOP

Same procedure as standard removal, with added caution for instability. May use crane more than typical work.

Step 7: Document for insurance

Throughout:

• Before/during/after photos
• Itemized work narrative
• Time on-site documented
• Materials used (tarps, lumber for shoring)
• Provide customer + adjuster a complete photo package + invoice

Acceptance criteria

• Tree removed safely
• Property damage limited to what was already done
• Tarps in place where structural breaches existed
• Photos + paperwork delivered to customer + insurance
• Site as cleared as conditions allow (some storm sites cannot be fully restored same day)

Common pitfalls

• Approaching downed power lines: fatal. Always
• Cutting without exclusion zone: bystander injury
• Cutting tension limbs without releasing: chainsaw kickback, leg amputation
• Free-dropping into existing damage: doubles repair cost
• No written authorization: payment dispute + lien filing
• Working 18-hour days during storm rush: fatigue causes fatalities; rotate crews
• Verbal-only quote: customer remembers differently next week
• Forgetting tarp + shoring: rain damage compounds
• Insurance gaps: confirm your policy covers storm work (some general-liability excludes emergency)

Safety considerations

• Storms create unstable trees nearby - full crew briefings before each site
• Wet ground + saturated root plates = trees fall unpredictably
• Wind 25+ mph: stop work
• Lightning within 6 miles: stop work, shelter in vehicles (not under trees)
• Fatigue is the #1 storm-week killer - enforce rest breaks + crew rotation
• AED + trauma kit + tourniquets on every truck
• Phone with cell service + a paper map (cell service fails after storms)

Insurance coordination

Customer insurance often pays for storm damage:

• Get the adjuster's name + claim number
• Provide invoice + photo package directly to adjuster (with customer permission)
• Some insurance pays you directly (assignment of benefits - varies by state)
• Tarps + emergency tree-off-house often covered immediately; tree-only removal sometimes not covered
• Document scope + price clearly so customer reimburses you if insurance disputes

References

• ANSI Z133 Safety standard for tree-care operations
• OSHA 1910.269 utility-line work proximity
• TCIA Storm Response Best Practices
• IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business + Home Safety) Storm Damage Guidelines
• Manuall internal: Tree Removal Service SOP, Tree Pruning Service SOP