Purdue Extension Service

Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Storm Damage and Recovery

By Larry Caplan, Extension Horticulture Educator, Vanderburgh County, IN

For the Evansville Courier and Press, February 8, 2009

As I write this, I still haven't had the power returned to my home after the ice storm of the last week of January. Living in a fairly primitive fashion...hauling wood in my minivan, everyone sleeping in the living room to cluster around our inefficient fireplace...really brought home some of the discussions I had with my old college professors.

In one class, we were talking about the tropical rainforests in South America. Deforestation to increase farmland, which led to erosion and changes in rainfall patterns, seemed pretty important to us students, and we couldn't understand why the people living there weren't more concerned about the ecological impacts of their decisions. My professor said something to the effect that it's hard to think long-term or globally, when you are struggling for daily survival.

As I looked at how we've been living for the past week, I could see he was right. We've been using disposable plates and cups, rather than trying to wash dishes in cold water in the dark. We've eaten a lot of take-out, with all of the wrappers and bags and trash that goes with it. And I know some of the long-term problems with using wood ashes in the garden, but I dumped a bushel full in my garden just the same.

Once I get my power back, I will return to recycling our household waste, using non-disposable items, and so on. But right now...just let me get through this week.

I just received word that out-of-state tree trimmers, home repair workers, and other opportunists are already descending on the Tri-State. I know that many readers are desperate to return to normal life, and are not overly concerned about some of the niceties, like checking for licenses, but let me post some precautions anyway.

1.  Within the city limits of Evansville, it is illegal to trim trees without a tree trimmers license.  This license indicates that the company has attended a free safety training program that I help teach, and they've proven they carry insurance. Violators can be fined up to $1000 per occurrence.

2.  Unlicensed tree workers, especially those that drive through your neighborhood with a pickup truck and a ladder, have been known to make a bad situation worse by toppling trees into houses, cars, streets, and people.  Or they top your trees, making them more likely to fall apart (again) during the next round of storms.

3.  Nearly none of these fly-by-night workers carry liability or workman’s compensation insurance.  If they do damage to your house or your neighbor’s property, YOU will pay for the repairs.  If they hurt themselves while mangling your trees, YOU will pay their doctor bills. Ask for their insurance information, and then call the insurance company to see if the policy is still valid (a common trick is to cancel the policy as soon as they have an identification card).

4.  Some fly-by-night companies have been known to do a partial job, take your money, and leave you with the job unfinished.  I’ve seen cases where the tree was left in an even MORE hazardous condition because of their efforts. I've also heard accounts of this in roof repair, electrical work, and plumbing.  Not all, but some of these guys are nothing but con artists and crooks, and since they aren’t local, they can’t be traced. 

If you ignore my advice above, at least PLEASE have the common sense NOT to give them cash, or pay them before the job is finished.

For more information on storm recovery, including links to the Extension Disaster and Emergency Resource page and a list of licensed tree trimmers, visit my website at http://www.extension.purdue.edu/vanderburgh/ , or call the Purdue Extension Service at 812-435-5287.