Most storm damage we clean up could have been smaller with an hour of prep in the spring. This is the checklist we give to our own families before the season starts.

Before the season

• Walk the yard and look up. Note any dead limbs over the house, the driveway or the street.

• Check trees near power lines. Do not touch them yourself, but let the utility know, or ask us to look.

• Take photos of every large tree. They help with insurance claims if something comes down.

• Save our storm line in your phone: (555) 014 2290.

When a storm is coming

• Move cars away from large trees if you can.

• Bring in patio furniture and anything that could blow into a tree or a window.

• Stay out of rooms directly under big limbs while the wind is up.

After it passes

Stay away from any tree touching a power line, and call the utility first. Do not climb a damaged tree or try to cut a limb that is under tension. Bent wood can spring back with enough force to cause serious injury.

Take photos of the damage before anything is moved, then call us. On storm days our crews are out within about an hour in Marlow and the nearby towns, and we work directly with most insurance companies.