A power line does not have to be sparking, popping, or humming to be fully electrified. Power grid automatic systems often attempt to restore electricity to lines moments after they trip. Even if the power to your neighborhood is completely out, a downed line can still be carrying lethal voltage. Stay at least 35 feet away at all times.
Why Trees and Electricity are a Deadly Mix
Many people mistakenly believe that wood is an insulator and that touching a tree branch is safe, even if it is resting on a wire. This is incredibly dangerous, especially in Florida.
Trees are largely composed of water, and sap is packed with minerals that act as excellent electrical conductors. During a storm, the rain saturates the bark, essentially turning the entire tree into a giant extension cord. If you touch a fallen tree that is in contact with a power line, the electricity will instantly travel through the wet wood, into your body, and into the ground.
The "Step Potential" Danger
You don't even have to touch the tree or the wire to be electrocuted. When a live wire hits a tree or the ground, electricity ripples outward through the soil like ripples in a pond. This is known as "step potential."
Invisible Rings of Voltage
The ground immediately surrounding the downed line is supercharged, with the voltage decreasing the further you move away. Walking into this invisible electrical field can cause a lethal shock as the electricity travels up one leg and down the other.
Chain-Link Fences
If a tree falls on a power line and also touches a metal fence, that entire fence line—which might stretch into your neighbor's yard—is now electrified. Never attempt to clear branches off a fence until the power company gives the all-clear.
If a tree brings down a power line on your property, the order of your phone calls is critical.
1. Call 911 and Your Utility Company (TECO/Duke Energy): They are the only ones authorized to cut the power grid. A tree service cannot touch the tree until the utility company has grounded the lines and declared the site electrically safe.
2. Call Duffey Tree Care: Once the power is confirmed off by the utility company, our crew steps in to perform the emergency tree removal, safely lifting the massive weight off your property.
Why Professional Rigging is Required
Even after the power is shut off, clearing a tree tangled in lines is complex. The tension of the wires can act like a slingshot. If an amateur cuts the wrong branch, the sudden release of tension can snap the utility pole, pull the electrical weatherhead entirely off the side of your house, or cause the tree to violently roll.
Professional hazardous tree removal relies on heavy machinery. Using our specialized lifts and the heavy-duty 60HD+ Arbor Pro, we secure the massive weight of the tree from above before making a single cut, ensuring the limbs are lifted safely away from the fragile utility infrastructure.
Need Safe, Professional Storm Cleanup?
Do not gamble with your life to save a few dollars on storm cleanup. Once the utility company has secured the power lines, Duffey Tree Care is here to handle the heavy lifting safely and efficiently.
We provide rapid-response emergency tree service across Tampa Bay and Eastern Hillsborough County.
Call 813-381-4329 for expert emergency assistance.
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