OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) — With severe weather season approaching, arborists are encouraging homeowners to focus on tree maintenance to reduce the risk of damage from strong storms.
As part of “Storm Week,” the First Alert 6 weather team has designated Thursday as a weather alert day, prompting renewed attention on outdoor safety — especially trees.
Arborists say trees can become more dangerous as they fully leaf out in spring.
“The trees still are not fully leafed out, when that occurs that is when the trees will become considerably more dangerous,” said Jeff Grewe, co-owner of Arbor Aesthetics. “They will have more surfaced to catch the wind.”
Grewe explained that leaves can act like sails, making trees more vulnerable to strong Midwest wind gusts. Without proper upkeep, trees can pose serious risks to people and property.
“A smaller tree, it can blow over, and you can lift it with your hand and put it back up,” Grewe said. “Even a tree that is maybe 20 feet tall isn’t an issue. It is a tree that is 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet in diameter that is 60 feet plus tall. Those are the ones that are going to seriously injure people and cause a lot of property damage that need to be addressed.”
Experts strongly recommend hiring trained professionals for tree maintenance. Attempting to trim or climb trees without proper training can be extremely dangerous.
“We are trained extensively in how to work around hazards, and work in dangerous situations, dangerous trees,” said Arbor Aesthetics safety director Kris Hans. “Where the average person… is putting themselves in grave danger if they attempt to work on a tree that has been damaged in a storm or really work on trees at height in general… so leave it to the professionals as much as possible.”
To improve safety, Arbor Aesthetics recently hosted its second annual large-scale training event, bringing together its crews, other tree service companies and city arborists. This year’s session took place at Joslyn Castle and included demonstrations such as aerial rescues, emergency bucket recovery and advanced tree care techniques.
Grewe said the goal is to expand access to safety training across the industry.
“Not everyone has the resources to provide or receive this type of training and so we are extending that because we want more guys going home at the end of the day,” he said.
As part of the training, crews also reinforced a tree damaged in a previous storm and removed hazardous limbs at Joslyn Castle to keep the grounds safe for visitors.
“We definitely have trees that are pushing 100 feet or better and safety is always paramount,” said facilities and grounds director Josh Preister.
Officials emphasize that now is the time to consult an arborist about trimming and pruning trees — before severe weather arrives, whether later this week or during future storms.
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