Tompkins County storms can be sudden and local. On July 24, 2023, a microburst with winds near 100 mph ripped through Enfield, uprooting trees and destroying two barns along a 2.5 mile path. On January 9, 2024, strong wind gusts knocked out power to about 5,700 NYSEG customers in its Ithaca Division, with broken poles, downed wires and tree limbs.
When a tree is already on the house or blocking the only way out, you don’t want to wait for a regular consultation. Our storm and emergency tree service has two tiers so you can choose the level of urgency, and both fees are credited toward the job. Jason Tubbs and the crew use a crane, bucket truck, climbers and a knuckle boom truck with log grapple to take weight off a damaged structure in controlled pieces.
Choosing between the two emergency tiers
- Emergency Assessment, $300: Jason comes on site the next business day to assess the damage and give you a quote. Good for a tree that fell in the yard, a hanger in the crown or a lean that worries you.
- Emergency Response, $5,000 minimum: crew and equipment are dispatched immediately to reduce the risk. For a tree on a roof, through a wall or blocking access that cannot wait.
- Both fees are credited toward the work. Request either on the emergency page or call (607) 375-7681.
If the tree is touching a power line
Stay well back and keep everyone else away, including pets. Treat every downed or sagging wire as live. Call 911, then call your utility. NYSEG serves the City of Ithaca and the towns of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Enfield, Groton, Ithaca, Lansing, Newfield and Ulysses, and Groton also has a municipal utility. Tubbs does not work on energized lines. Once the utility has made the line safe, call us to handle the tree.
Why soaked ground and wind bring trees down here
Much of the county is hilly, and steep slopes above the gorges are thick with hemlocks. After long soaking rains, like Tropical Storm Lee in September 2011, which dropped between 3.45 and 5.24 inches across the county, roots lose grip in saturated soil. A moderate wind that a tree would normally shrug off can then pull it over, root plate and all. Trees already weakened by emerald ash borer or adelgid fail even more easily.
What to do while you wait for us
- Get everyone out of rooms under a damaged section of roof
- Take photos of the tree and the damage from a safe distance
- Don’t cut into a trunk or limb that is bent or pinned, since stored tension can snap back
- Check with your insurer about your coverage and what they need from you
- Keep cars and people out of the drop zone around any hanging limbs
Storm & Emergency Tree Service Questions From Tompkins County
How soon can you get to my place in Newfield after a storm?
That depends on the tier you choose. The Emergency Assessment, at $300, puts Jason on site the next business day to look at the damage and quote the work. If the tree is on the house or blocking access, Emergency Response at a $5,000 minimum dispatches the crew and equipment immediately.
Will my homeowner’s insurance cover the cost of removing a fallen tree?
We can’t answer that for you, since coverage depends on your policy and what the tree damaged. Check with your insurer, and take photos before anything is moved. Jason’s itemized plan lists the work clearly, which can help when you talk with them about the claim.
A tree fell across my driveway in Groton but missed the house. Is that an emergency?
If you can get in and out safely and nothing is hanging over the house, the $300 Emergency Assessment is usually the right fit. Jason will be there the next business day. If the tree blocks the only way out for someone who needs to leave, or is tangled in wires, call your utility first and then ask about Emergency Response.
Want the full picture? Read our storm & emergency tree service guide, or see everything we do in Tompkins County.