Step 1: Stay clear of power lines
If the tree is touching a power line, or a line is down, treat it as live and deadly. Keep everyone well back, call 911 and your utility immediately, and do not approach or try to move anything near the line. No tree is worth a life. We coordinate with the power company before any work near energized lines.
Step 2: Get people to safety
Move everyone away from the tree and any leaning, cracked, or hanging limbs ("widow-makers") that could still fall. If the house is structurally compromised, get out and stay out until it is checked.
Step 3: Document everything
Before anything is moved, photograph the tree, the damage, and the scene from several angles. This documentation is what supports your insurance claim, see who pays for tree removal. Note the date and time.
Step 4: Call a professional and your insurer
Call an insured tree company for emergency response, and notify your homeowners insurer if a structure was hit. Fort Wayne Tree Services runs 24/7 emergency service: we stabilize the hazard, get weight off the structure, tarp openings, and provide the itemized, photo-backed paperwork your claim needs.
Why this matters for Fort Wayne trees
Fort Wayne is the 'City of Three Rivers' — riverbank lots mean soft soil and storm-prone mature trees. Local soil here is heavy Indiana clay, which holds water and can leave shallow-rooted trees unstable after a wet spell. Our heavy heavy Indiana clay, three rivers, and the run of Emerald Ash Borer through the area all shape how local trees grow, fail, and need care. A general rule from a national article often does not match what is true for a silver maple on a Fort Wayne riverbank lot, which is why local, on-the-ground judgment matters.
When to handle it yourself, and when to call a pro
Small, ground-level tasks well away from structures and power lines are often fine for a careful homeowner. Anything involving climbing, large limbs, dead or leaning trees, or work near the house or a power line should go to an insured professional, the risk and the liability are simply not worth it. EAB has killed a large share of Fort Wayne's ash trees — dead-ash removal is a major local need.
How we can help
Fort Wayne Tree Services handles the full range of tree work in Fort Wayne, including stump grinding & removal, tree trimming & pruning, tree cutting. If you are weighing a decision about a specific tree, an ISA-certified arborist can look at it and give you a straight, no-pressure recommendation, and a free written estimate if any work is needed.
Talk to a Fort Wayne arborist
Fort Wayne Tree Services provides free, itemized estimates and honest tree-care advice across Fort Wayne and the surrounding towns. Get in touch →