2440 Bonnie Brae Rd Cumming, GA 30041
770-428-2543

Tree Safety After Hurricanes

Making sure you, your home and yard are safe after Hurricane Irma.

True Safety After HurricanesHurricane Irma made history as it pummeled through Florida, heading toward Georgia in the latter part of the weekend. Governor Nathan Deal extended the state of emergency to all 159 of Georgia’s counties early Sunday afternoon, asking for closures of schools and businesses in lieu of the storm.

As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, DeKalb County Police Department reportedly responded to 111 vehicle accidents, 294 tree down calls and 34 accidents with injuries. People are urged to please stay off roads if possible.

With so much debris from Hurricane Irma’s heavy winds and rainfall, Sharp Tree Service would like to offer a few safety tips for dealing with fallen trees, limbs and the like:

  • Put safety first
    • Be on the alert. Stay away from utility lines and keep an eye out for dangers both up in hanging branches and down on damaged trunks.
    • Broken limbs may still be lodged in trees, but can easily and unexpectedly fall.
    • Look for trees leaning against or touching downed phone lines or power lines – a tree in contact with a power line, and the ground at the base of the tree, can be energized and dangerous.
    • When in doubt, call Sharp Tree Service
  • Take Steps to Repair Minor Damage & Debris
    • Remove any broken branches or stubs still attached to the tree.
    • Remove jagged remains of limbs to reduce the risk of decay agents entering the wound.
    • Smaller branches should be pruned at the point where they join larger ones.
    • Resist the urge to over-prune. Don’t worry if the tree’s appearance is not perfect.
  • Do not try to do it all yourself
    • Large limbs are broken or hanging or overhead chainsaw work is needed.
    • If a tree is uprooted or downed, it can create an unnatural pattern of pressure points and tension. A chainsaw operator may be in severe danger if attempting to cut a tensioned limb or trunk (called a “springpole”) – it may have an extremely violent, catapult-like reaction.
    • If branches are too close or touching utility lines, report immediately to your local utility company. NEVER attempt to move downed utility lines.
    • Any task you have not been properly trained to handle or are uncomfortable undertaking.
  • Consider wildlife
    • Birds or bees may have been taking temporary storm shelter while you are doing work – always proceed with caution.

As soon as you’re able to survey the damage safely, don’t hesitate to give Sharp Tree Service a call. We will be patiently awaiting your call!