Tree Down? Your First-Hour Checklist

First: safety, in this order

• Any wire involved? Call Huntsville Utilities at 256-535-1200 and stay well back. Treat every downed line as live. Do not let any crew cut a tree out of an energized line.
• Anyone hurt, or the structure unstable? Call 911.
• Smell gas? Get out, then call from a distance.
• Clear the area underneath, including the room below an impact point. Limbs under tension release without warning.

Second: document, before anything moves

• Wide shots showing where the tree stood and where it landed.
• Close shots of the damage, the break point, and the root plate.
• Photograph the inside of the house if there is any breach.
• Note the date and time. Do not clean up first - you cannot recreate this later.

Third: make safe, then call your carrier

• Tarping and temporary stabilisation are generally reimbursable and worth doing immediately to prevent further damage.
• Call your insurer before authorising full removal, and ask what they need.
• Keep every receipt.
• Read anything you are asked to sign, particularly assignment-of-benefits paperwork.

Fourth: get in the queue

• After a widespread storm, every crew in Madison County is booked. Position in the queue matters more than negotiating.
• Verify insurance even under pressure. Storms attract out-of-area crews.
• Consider splitting the job: emergency make-safe now, full removal and stump at normal rates next week. See the emergency cost guide.

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