Susan Knox Wilson
Trees fall; they all do eventually. Yelling “timber” may help move people out of the way, but most trees fall without a lot of yelling. Here in PebbleCreek big storms with lots of wind – like the one a few weeks ago – can wreak havoc on trees like nothing else. If hit just right, with enough power, wind can destroy anything in its path and a perfectly healthy tree can be turned into splinters in seconds. This devastation often leaves you needing the help of local tree surgeon services in order to remove the remnants of the tree from your property.
Do you know what to do when a tree (or tree branch) falls in PebbleCreek? Here’s what the experts suggest.
1. Determine that everyone in your house is safe. If you lost power, chances are a line was taken out in the process. If there is a line down, stay away! Call 911 and then the power company. Keep everybody else away until the authorities arrive. If the tree has fallen against a line, pole or a tower, stay away. After the situation has been assessed and you are now safely back in the area, it is now time to check to see if your house has been damaged by the falling tree. If you notice that your roof has been damaged in the process and you think it needs repairing, then it will be in your best interest to contact a roofing contractor as soon as possible. You can check out a website such as this one for any further information you may need.
2. If the tree is yours, went down in your yard and caused no damage, call a Certified Arborist. If the tree did cause damage, call your insurance agency and stay on them until you get an adjuster out. Make sure they take pictures. You do the same; take pictures of everything. At the same time, call a Certified Arborist. They will come to take a look and give you a bid on the work. Get it in writing! Do not do any work until the adjuster has arrived.
If the tree (or tree branch) is from a neighbor’s yard or from a common area and caused damage, the procedure is the same: call your insurance agency and stay on them until you get an adjuster out. Because damage caused by a storm is “an act of God,” neither your neighbor nor the HOA is liable (negligent) for any damage done to your property, unless the tree (or tree branch) was already a hazard that was known to either your neighbor or the HOA and was not addressed before the storm.
3. If the fallen tree is in a common area – or in the Villas – Ron Sawyer, PebbleCreek Golf Resort Landscape Superintendent, asks that you submit a green card detailing the location of the damage and a brief description. Immediately following a major storm, Ron and his team are on the job of cleaning up. Their first priority is getting the roadways clear, then trees off houses, then clubhouses and sports facilities and finally, the common areas. While the landscaping team appreciates your desire to have order restored as soon as possible, they have a process and procedure and ask for your patience. Ron said he had 112 calls after the last storm (and he will call everyone back) but it just delays him from the job at hand – cleaning up!
4. Damaged trees and shrubs in the common areas and in the Villas will be replaced with “like” trees and shrubs – a Palo Verde will be replaced with a Palo Verde, etc. Ron says they do replacement planting in the fall and spring and schedule the work area by area. For example they will take a look at what needs to be replaced in Unit 54, order the necessary trees and shrubs and do the planting before moving on to another area. This helps ensure the nursery stock gets in the ground as soon as possible and improves their chance of taking root.
5. Finally, the best thing to do is stay calm; do not make any rash decisions. Hire only vetted arborists. If you aren’t sure who to use then you might as well check out something like these tree removal services Hilton Head Island, SC. Do not put yourself at risk by hiring your friend’s nephew or someone knocking on your door to handle tree removal. If you have any property damage, take lots of pictures. Insurance companies hate trees and they hate paying for them even more! When all is said and done, there will just be one thing left to do – yell “timber” and plant a new tree!