Remove Trees and Potential Windborne Missiles 
PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY FROM HIGH WINDS 
FEMA
April 2011

If the area immediately surrounding your home contains trees, outbuildings, 
trash cans, yard debris, or other materials that can be moved by the wind, 
your house will be more likely to be damaged during a hurricane or tornado. 
The wind can topple trees onto your house and can pick up smaller objects and 
drive them through windows and glass doors.  
You should ensure that all trees on your property are far enough away to 
prevent them from damaging your home if they should fall. The distance 
between the structure and any nearby tree should always be greater than the 
height the tree will reach when it is fully grown. All storage sheds and 
other outbuildings should be securely anchored, either to a permanent 
foundation or with straps and ground anchors. Smaller objects, such as trash 
cans, barbecue grills, and outdoor furniture should also be anchored or, if 
you have adequate warning, moved indoors. You should also clear away any 
debris, such as fallen tree branches. 
BENEFITS OF UTILIZING THIS MITIGATION STRATEGY
* Helps to prevent damage to a structure and its contents 
* Helps to prevent injuries to occupants  
TIPS 
Keep these points in mind when you remove trees and potential windborne 
missiles: 
* Remove large trees near your property. They can be extremely dangerous for 
both you and your home. Therefore, this is a job for a skilled contractor. 
* Use the straps and ground anchors also used for manufactured homes to 
anchor outbuildings, especially small garden sheds that are usually not 
placed on a permanent foundation. 
* Secure outdoor furniture and barbecue grills by bolting them to decks or 
patios or by attaching them to ground anchors with cables or chains. 
* Secure trash cans with cables or chains attached to ground anchors or wood 
posts firmly embedded in the ground. Trash can lids should be attached to 
cans with cables or chains. 
* Contact your local agricultural extension office to get suggestions on 
which varieties of trees will be less susceptible to storm damage.
* Contact an arborist for assistance with pruning existing trees properly. 
Improperly pruning trees or damaging root systems can make them more 
susceptible to storm damage.
ESTIMATED COST 
If you hire a contractor to remove a large tree, you can expect to pay about 
$1,000 to $1,500. Having a contractor anchor a storage shed with straps and 
ground anchors will cost about $100 to $200. 
OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 
Cooperative Extension System Offices, http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/
FEMA 247, Against the Wind: Protecting Your Home from Hurricane Wind Damage, 
December 1993, http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1641. 
FEMA 549, Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast: Mitigation Assessment Team 
Report, Building Performance Observations, Recommendations, and Technical 
Guidance, Chapter 11, “Recommendations,” July 2006, 
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1857.  
To view and download FEMA publications visit the FEMA Library at 
http://www.fema.gov/library. To obtain FEMA publications please call 1-800-
480-2520 or fax 1-240-699-0525 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST. You 
may also email your request to FEMA-Publications-Warehouse@dhs.gov. Please 
provide the title, item number, short number, and quantity of each 
publication, along with your name, address, zip code, and daytime telephone 
number.