Right now
- Stay away from wires. Treat any downed line as live. Call 911 or ComEd at 1-800-334-7661.
- Get out from under hangers. Broken limbs caught in the crown can drop hours later.
- Parkway tree or one blocking the road? The City of Joliet asked residents to report those to 815-724-3650 during the August 2026 storm (Herald-News).
- Your tree on your house? Photograph everything before anything moves, then call your insurer and a tree crew.
Joliet's recent storms
The Aug. 10, 2020 derecho was one of the most damaging events in the NWS Chicago area, with more than 160 damaging-wind reports (NWS). Northwest Joliet saw several hundred trees damaged, roads blocked and lines down, and downtown had limbs down on Jefferson Street (NWS storm data). On Aug. 11, 2026 another derecho brought trees down across Will County, including in Joliet and nearby Lockport and Plainfield (Herald-News; NWS summary).
Who pays for what
Storm debris from private trees is the property owner's responsibility, not ComEd's, according to a ComEd notice republished by the Village of Tinley Park (source). ComEd clears trees off its lines to restore power; the wood left in your yard is yours. Parkway trees belong to the City (Joliet Forestry).
How emergency removal works
A tree resting on a roof is loaded in odd ways. Crews typically stabilize it, take weight off in small pieces from the top down, often with a crane or lift, then tarp the hole. Expect after-hours and crane work to cost more; get the scope in writing before work starts if you can. Insurance questions go to your insurer. We can't tell you what's covered.
After the storm: what to photograph
Wide shots
The tree, the house, and where it landed, from more than one side.
Close-ups
Roof, gutters, fence, car. Anything the tree touched.
The break
Where the tree failed: roots, trunk or a limb. Your insurer and arborist will ask.
Will County storm risk is real
The 2020 derecho left New Lenox with estimated 78-knot gusts and hundreds of trees uprooted or snapped along Cedar Road and Joliet Highway (NWS storm data). On August 11, 2026, a tree came through the back of a home in unincorporated Lockport Heights days after it was trimmed (Herald-News). Trimming helps, but it doesn't make a big tree storm-proof.
Who handles what after a storm in Joliet
Wires down
Stay well back and call 911 or ComEd at 1-800-334-7661. Never let a tree crew start work on a tree that's touching a line until ComEd has made it safe (ComEd).
Parkway trees
A tree between the sidewalk and curb is the City's. After the August 2026 derecho, the City asked residents to report downed parkway trees to 815-724-3650 (Herald-News).
Your yard
Trees on private property are the owner's job (same City guidance). That's where a private crew comes in.
Work from the outside in: make the house weather-tight first, then deal with limbs on the driveway, then the rest of the yard. A crew can often cut a tree off a roof the same day and come back for the stump and cleanup.
Questions to ask a crew
Can you stabilize the tree and tarp tonight, and finish later?
Will you document the damage for my insurer?
Is crane work priced separately?
Are wires involved? Has ComEd made it safe?