Emergency tree removal, in this order

Emergency tree removal starts with people and the wire. A tree is on the house and you want it gone. The order below is the one to follow before a crew starts cutting. If a wire is mixed in with the branches, that part comes first.

Get people away from the wire

Move people and pets away from the tree if any wire is down, touching the tree, or close enough that you are not sure. OSHA, writing for cleanup workers, says: "Assume that all power lines are live or energized." It tells those workers: "Stay at least 10 feet from all downed lines." Stay much farther back.

Oncor, a Texas power company, says: "When a live wire touches the ground, electricity fans out through the ground." It also says: "It's possible to be shocked when in the area of a downed power line, which is why it's so important to stay away and keep others away as well." SWEPCO says: "Always keep your distance and presume a fallen wire is energized and dangerous." And: "If you encounter a fallen wire, keep yourself and others away, and call 911 and your local power company immediately."

OSHA's 10 feet is the minimum it sets for cleanup workers, not a safe distance for you. A tree is on a power line. What do I do? has the rest of the quotes.

Call 911 or the power company

If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 911. If you see a downed line or damaged electrical equipment, call 911 or the power company named on your bill.

Florida Power & Light says: "If you see a downed power line or other damaged electrical equipment, be sure to stay far away and immediately call 911 or FPL at 1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243)." That number is for FPL customers. If your bill names a different company, use the number on the bill.

Alabama Power says: "Stay away from downed power lines. Always assume a downed power line is live and life-threatening." It also says: "Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or any other object from a downed line."

Oncor, a Texas power company, says: "Electricity can also travel through tree limbs. Never remove tree limbs or other items touching or near a downed wire." Oncor is not the utility for the cities on this site. The quote is here because the hazard is the same. Call the company on your bill.

OSHA also says: "Contact the utility company to de-energize and ground or shield power lines. All tree trimming/removal within 10 feet of a power line must be done by trained tree trimmers." Stay much farther back yourself, and treat the line as live.

Take photos and call your insurer

Photograph the tree, the roof, the car, the fence, and the yard before anyone moves the wood. Then call the number on your policy. A crew can talk about the cutting. Your insurer decides what the policy pays.

Find out who pays

The Alabama Department of Insurance says: "Typically, a policy will only pay for the removal of trees if the tree damaged covered property, blocks a driveway access onto the property, or blocks a handicapped ramp into the structure."

The Louisiana Department of Insurance says that when a tree damages the house, "usually the company will pay for removal of the tree because it damaged your insured dwelling." For a tree that only fell in the yard, it says to ask your agent, because it "may or may not be covered under your particular policy." Check your own policy and call your insurer. Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal? has both quotes, and Does insurance cover a tree falling on my car? is the car question.

Florida's Department of Financial Services says: "Most homeowners insurance policies include a specific amount of coverage for tree and debris removal; however, it may not be sufficient to complete the entire clean up."

A neighbor's tree is a different page. The Louisiana Department of Insurance says: "If your neighbor's healthy tree falls on your home, fence or other property, it is your insurance company's responsibility to pay for repairing the damage." It also says: "Your neighbor's insurer would probably only accept liability and pay for the damage if the tree was dead or weakened in such a way that the owner should have known it was dangerous before it fell." Ask your own insurer. My neighbor's tree fell on my property. Who pays? has those quotes.

Check the city rule before anyone cuts

Permit rules are local. Do I need a permit to remove a tree? puts one line for each city we could source.

• Pensacola says a permit is needed for a heritage tree, including on a single-family or duplex lot.
• Mobile says a permit is required for any tree in the public right of way, and it lists a city permit fee.
• Tallahassee says some removals need a tree permit, and one permit covers no more than 10 trees.
• Shreveport makes tree crews register with the city each year and show a Louisiana arborist license. For a tree between the sidewalk and the curb, ask Streets and Drainage at 318-673-6330.

Hire a crew with care

The price depends on your tree and the job, including its size, where it fell, and what it is touching. Get written quotes from more than one licensed and insured crew.

After Hurricane Milton in 2024, the Florida Attorney General's office told Floridians: "Get multiple written estimates and ask whether debris removal is included in the estimate". It also said: "Get at least three written, itemized estimates on bids or repairs". And: "Check for proof of insurance and verify with the insurer that the policy is current". The city pages quote each state's own advice.

How to judge a tree crew is the checklist, including for a partner crew that may call you from this site. How much does tree removal cost? explains why this site prints no crew price.

Questions people ask next

• Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal?
• A tree is on a power line. What do I do?
• How much does tree removal cost?
• My neighbor's tree fell on my property. Who pays?
• Does insurance cover a tree falling on my car?
• Do I need a permit to remove a tree?