Your company
Storm response plan
Reviewed by (owner) and date
Free template from Lirevon: lirevon.com/templates/storm-response-plan
Free template
Storm response plan for your tree service
Write your storm plan on a calm day, so you follow it when the phone will not stop ringing. Who answers calls, which jobs go first, which crews and machines are ready, and who to call for fuel, dumps and rentals. Print one for every truck and download a CSV for the office.
- Free, no sign-up
- Prints clean
- Download CSV or TXT
- Saved on your device only
What this template is
A storm response plan is a one-page plan you write before storm season. It says when you switch to storm mode, who answers the phone, the order you take jobs in, which crews and machines are ready and the numbers you will need.
When a storm hits, calls come in faster than anyone can answer. A written plan means you are not making decisions at 2 a.m. with a saw in your hand. Pair it with the storm response checklist for the step-by-step list and the storm capacity planner to see how many jobs your crews can handle.
What is on it
| Part | What you fill in |
|---|---|
| Plan basics | Company name; Main phone; Plan owner; Last reviewed; Service area during storms; When we switch to storm mode |
| Phones and leads | Who answers calls in the day; Who or what answers at night and weekends; Missed-call text-back is on; Where every storm lead is written down; What we tell callers first |
| Triage order | Order we take jobs in (untick what you do not do) |
| Crews and equipment | Crews available; Climbers available; Crew rest rule; Ready before the season |
| Key contacts | Power company outage and downed-line number; Crane company; Equipment rental; Dump site or wood yard (and hours); Fuel supplier; Insurance agent; Roofer or tarping partner |
| Pricing and paperwork | How we price storm work; On every storm job |
| After the storm | When the rush is over; Notes for next time |
How to use it
- Fill in the plan before storm season with your crew leads and whoever answers your phones.
- Check the triage order. Untick what you do not do, and talk about what happens when two calls are equally urgent.
- Call each key contact once to confirm the number, the hours and what they can do for you in a storm.
- Print a copy for each truck and the office, save the PDF on every phone, and download the CSV for your records.
- When a warning goes out for your area, switch to storm mode. After the storm, write what went wrong and update the plan.
How the download works
Download CSV makes a spreadsheet file with three columns (section, field, value), one row per field. Tick boxes show as Yes or No. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Download TXT makes a plain text copy you can paste into an email or a text. Both files are made inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is sent to us.
Questions people ask
What should a tree service storm plan include?
When you switch to storm mode, who answers calls day and night, the order you take jobs in, the crews and machines you have, the key phone numbers, how you price and write up storm work, and what you do once the rush is over.
When should I write my storm plan?
Before your storm season starts, on a calm week. On the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Inland, plan around your spring storms and winter ice. Review it once a year.
Who should answer calls during a storm?
Not the owner in the bucket truck. Pick a person for daytime, plan nights and weekends, and turn on missed-call text-back so no caller hears only a voicemail. Our after-hours coverage planner helps you decide.
Which storm jobs go first?
Danger to people first, and that is 911, not you. Lines are the utility's job. Then trees on occupied homes, trees blocking the only way out, open roofs, then cars, fences and sheds, then yards and cleanup. Write your order down.
Can I charge more for storm work?
Short explanation, not legal advice: many states limit price increases during a declared emergency. Put a clear written estimate on every job and check your state's rules. Our guide to pricing storm work explains the basics.
Should my crew work on trees touching power lines?
Not unless they are line-clearance qualified and the work is allowed. Call the utility, keep everyone back, and wait until the line is made safe. Write the utility's outage number in this plan.
How do I help customers with insurance claims?
Take before and after photos, give a written estimate and a clear invoice, and have your insurance certificate ready. The customer deals with their insurer. Do not promise what a claim will pay.
Where is my plan saved?
In your browser on this device only. Nothing is sent to us. Download the CSV and print copies for the trucks so the plan is there when the power and the signal are not.
Free tools that go with this template
- Storm response checklist: the step-by-step list for before, during and after a storm.
- Storm capacity planner: how many calls and jobs your crews can take in a storm week.
- After-hours coverage planner: who or what answers at night and on weekends.
- Guide: storm season: how tree companies get ready for storm season.
- Guide: pricing storm work: clear, fair storm pricing, with the legal basics.
More free templates
From Lirevon
Paperwork keeps the job tidy. Answering wins the job.
In a storm, the company that answers first gets the job. The Never-Miss-A-Job System texts back every missed call within 30 seconds, answers with an AI receptionist day and night, and keeps every storm lead in one inbox with follow-ups. Get a free audit before the next storm.