MACON, Ga. — This week's severe weather scattered trees across lawns and roadways throughout much of Central Georgia. We talked to professional tree crews for safety tips in case you're removing debris yourself.
Many people are eager to get trees, limbs, branches off of their lawns, and people are taking matters into their own hands. Professional tree removal services like the Gray Brothers Tree Service say that you should probably try to hire an expert first, but if you can't, then here are some tips on how to remove storm debris safely.
Equipment operator Mike Mangino has worked for Gray Brothers for over 15 years. He says his first tip is if you have doubt, just stop.
"This is dangerous work-- whether it's a storm or day-to-day tree removal-- it's dangerous,” Mangino says.
The second tip is to take your time. Clearing branches and twigs is easy, but trees are a different story.
"A lot of these trees are far too large to pick up. You'll need some specialized equipment. For a homeowner, you're basically gonna have to cut it up into manageable chunks,” he says.
Third, he says to be careful where you cut.
"You know, the trees are broken, so you're not sure of how much pressure is on the debris itself, or the base of the tree, so it's hard to manage,” he says.
Mike says he's seen people seriously injured because they're not used to the work. Tom Spohn lives in north Macon's Rosa Taylor neighborhood. He says he's tried to handle tree work in the past, but he's learned his lesson.
"I've scared myself in the process of knocking down limbs. It's just not worth it. These guys know what they're doing, they've been in the industry for a long time, so they know how to get it done. They know how to get it done safely,” he says.
Spohn's house was damaged by the storm but he'll let the pros handle the cleanup.
"I have seen a couple people try to do some preliminary work, but then saw them back off and go ahead and hire a professional,” Spohn says.
Mangino suggests if you do want to hire a professional service to do your homework before you invite them to your home.
The Gray Brothers say that they recycle all the wood they remove. Homeowners are welcome to dump wood and have it recycled at their property on Allied Industrial Boulevard in Macon.