Schuyler County has seen what lake storms can do. On June 18, 2026, an EF-1 tornado with 90 mph winds crossed Seneca Lake from Rock Stream into Schuyler and uprooted numerous trees. Earlier, on January 9, 2024, strong wind gusts across NYSEG’s Ithaca Division, which includes Schuyler, left about 5,700 customers without power amid broken poles and downed wires and limbs.
When a tree comes down on a building, a car or the only road out, you need a plan fast. Tubbs Tree Service handles storm and emergency tree work with a crane, a bucket truck, climbers and a knuckle boom with a log grapple, lifting weight off structures in controlled pieces instead of dragging it.
When a tree is on the line: who to call
Stay well back from any tree touching a wire, and assume the line is live. Call 911. Then call your electric provider. In the Village of Watkins Glen, that is the village’s municipal electric department. In Montour Falls, Odessa, Burdett and the towns of Catharine, Cayuta, Dix, Hector, Montour, Orange, Reading and Tyrone, it is NYSEG. Tubbs does not work on energized lines, so call us once the utility has made the line safe.
Two ways to get Tubbs moving
- Emergency Assessment, $300: on site the next business day to assess the damage and quote the work
- Emergency Response, $5,000 minimum: crew and equipment dispatched immediately to mitigate the risk
- Both fees are credited toward the job
- For damage that is not urgent, the regular $50 consultation with Jason is the right start
What to do in the first hour
- Get people and pets out of any room with a tree on or through the roof
- Keep everyone away from hanging limbs and leaning trunks, which can shift without warning
- Take photos from a safe distance for your records
- Check with your insurer about coverage before or alongside booking work
- Call Tubbs at (607) 375-7681 and describe what is down and what it is resting on
After the crisis: the trees still standing
Storms leave damage you cannot see from the ground: cracked unions, lifted roots and hung limbs high in the crown. Once the emergency is handled, it is worth having Jason walk the rest of the property so the next storm does not finish what this one started. Wood from storm work goes to local use as firewood, mulch or sometimes building material.
Storm & Emergency Tree Service Questions From Schuyler County
How fast can you get to my property after a storm?
With the $300 Emergency Assessment, someone is on site the next business day to assess and quote. With Emergency Response, $5,000 minimum, a crew and equipment are dispatched immediately to reduce the risk. Both fees are credited toward the job. Call (607) 375-7681 and say which tier you need.
Will my homeowner’s insurance pay for removing a tree from my roof?
That depends on your policy and the situation, so check with your insurer directly. What we can do is document the damage with photos and give you an itemized description of the work, which is often helpful when you talk with your insurer or adjuster.
A tree fell across the road to our lake camp near Hector. Can you open it up?
Yes. Clearing access is often the first priority, especially if it is the only way in for emergency vehicles. If no wires are involved, we can cut and lift the trunk off the road with the grapple. If wires are tangled in it, call NYSEG first and wait until they confirm the line is safe.
Want the full picture? Read our storm & emergency tree service guide, or see everything we do in Schuyler County.