Arbor Image Tree Care, based in Oklahoma City, OK, serves the Oklahoma City metro with arborist-led tree health, preservation, pruning, removal, planting, and storm response.
Right now
What to do in the first 30 minutes
- Get everyone, including pets, clear of the tree and any structure under it.
- If anyone is injured or trapped, call 911 first.
- Stay out of the room or area directly under damaged limbs and partially failed trunks.
- Take wide and close-up photos of every angle before anything moves, these matter for insurance.
- Call Arbor Image at (405) 815-7959 with your address and a brief description.
Downed power lines = lethal
Assume every downed or low-hanging wire is live. Stay at least 35 feet away, keep others back, and call OG&E. We will not start any cut near a conductor until the utility has de-energized it.
Do not
What not to do after a storm
- Do not climb a damaged tree with a ladder and a chainsaw. Partially failed wood fails the rest of the way with no warning.
- Do not pull a leaning tree with a truck and a strap, you cannot predict the direction of failure.
- Do not cut hanging limbs from below. Widow-makers kill homeowners every year.
- Do not let an uninsured crew start work on your roof. Verify general liability + workers' comp before anyone goes up.
- Do not let crews 'top' your remaining trees as 'storm prep.' Topping creates the next storm failure.
Triage
Storm triage checklist
Priority 1, Immediate hazard
- • Tree or large limb on a house, vehicle, or person
- • Tree against or near a power line
- • Driveway or only road access blocked
- • Partially failed trunk leaning toward a structure
Priority 2, Same-day risk
- • Hanging limbs over a walkway, deck, or play area
- • Recent crack or split visible in a major scaffold limb
- • Tree leaning into a fence or neighbor's property
Priority 3, Schedule this week
- • Broken limbs you can see but they're not over anything used daily
- • Bark wounds and torn branches that need a proper cleanup cut
- • Whole-tree assessment after the area is safe
Insurance
How to document damage for your insurance carrier
- Photograph the tree before anything is cut, wide and close, all sides.
- Photograph any structure damage from inside and outside.
- Save the original written quote and the final invoice itemizing removal, rigging, and disposal.
- Ask us for a written incident description and tree-condition assessment if your carrier requests one.
- Keep all wood and debris on-site until your adjuster signs off, unless safety requires removal.
After the storm
Recovery, not just removal
Once the hazard is handled, the next decision is whether the remaining trees on your property need pruning, cabling, or watching. We do post-storm walkthroughs that flag structural problems before the next event.
Schedule a post-storm tree assessmentWhat to do next
- Take 3–4 photos of the tree, full canopy, base, and any damage.
- Note the city, neighborhood, and what you've already seen change.
- Request a free on-site assessment from an ISA-Certified Arborist.
- We'll send a written quote with preservation options before any saw runs.