What should I do first after a storm?

Stay clear of downed lines and unstable limbs. Check on family and pets. Then document damage before starting any cleanup — dated photos are critical for insurance claims.

Should I document before cleaning up?

Yes. Dated photos from multiple angles support your insurance claim. Adjusters want to see the damage as it happened, not after it's been cleared.

What counts as an urgent hazard?

Trees on structures, hanging limbs, and anything near power lines. These need same-day attention. Other damage can wait 24–72 hours for scheduled cleanup.

Guide

What to Do After a Storm Damages Your Trees

The post-storm sequence for tree damage: stay safe, assess damage, document for insurance, prioritize hazards, and schedule cleanup. Westchester storm guide.

Westchester yard strewn with storm debris

Immediately After the Storm

Stop 1: Safety check.

Everyone accounted for?
Any injuries?
Power lines down? Stay far clear.
Gas leak (smell)? Evacuate and call utility.

Stop 2: Do not go outside until you’ve assessed from indoors what’s out there. Falling limbs after a storm (“delayed failures”) can happen for days.

Stop 3: If a tree hit your house, see our full guide: what to do when a tree falls on your house.

The Assessment Walk

Once conditions are safe, walk your property from a distance:

Photograph everything from multiple angles. Before cleanup, before any changes. Timestamped photos are gold for insurance claims.
Note downed trees — where they fell, what they hit
Note hanging limbs in the canopy — these are the widow-makers most likely to fall next
Check for structural damage — roof shingles displaced, siding damaged, fences down
Look up at the trees still standing — new leans, cracks, missing sections

Prioritize Hazards

Urgent (call today, 914-907-4131):

Tree on your house or garage
Tree blocking your driveway
Hanging limbs over walkways, roofs, or lines
Trees leaning newly or dramatically toward structures

Soon (schedule within a few days):

Downed trees in the yard not touching structures
Storm debris (branches, brush)
Damaged but still-standing trees needing assessment
Fence and hardscape damage from tree impacts

Later (schedule when convenient):

Cleanup of leaves and small debris
Pruning of storm-damaged canopies
Replacement plantings for lost trees

Document for Insurance

Every storm removal we handle comes with documentation. But you should also do your own:

Dated photos from before any cleanup starts
Written description of what happened (nor’easter, ice storm, high winds, date)
Photos of damaged structures — house, garage, fence, car
Any receipts for immediate mitigation you did (tarps, temporary fixes)

Call your carrier and open the claim before or immediately after we start work. Full detail in does insurance cover tree removal.

Schedule Cleanup

Call 914-907-4131. Have ready:

Your address
Rough scope (single downed tree, multi-tree cleanup, tree on house)
Photos if you can share them
Insurance status if applicable

During major events, we triage by hazard. Life-safety and structural threats first, access blocks second, general cleanup third. Response time can extend to 24+ hours during widespread damage.

Don’t Do Yourself

Don’t cut trees near downed power lines. Ever.
Don’t try to move heavy limbs under tension. They release unpredictably.
Don’t climb damaged trees to trim hanging limbs.
Don’t sign contracts with door-knockers. Storm chasers show up after events.

Post-Cleanup

Once your immediate hazards are addressed, we recommend a certified arborist assessment on trees that took visible stress but didn’t fail — internal damage can lead to failures months later.