(Acton, MA) - During the first major snowfall of the season, our house and car were hit by an enormous old pine tree on Wednesday. The tree was located near the street, on town property.
Luckily, a town plow was passing at the same time and saw the whole thing. The driver immediately called the Highway Department, who dispatched a crew to help clear the tree and assess the damage. Within two hours they had cut enough branches that we could move the car and get into our garage. There was no way I could have done that myself.
Dean Charter, Acton Director, Tree Warden, stopped by to make sure everything was being done well, which it was. He also advised on the
insurance process. Everyone who came by said: take lots of pictures.
The next day another crew of four brought the big equipment required to cut up and remove the tree. This old pine tree had grown to about three feet in diameter and about 40 feet tall. It took a front loader to pick up pieces of the trunk as they were cut off.
Why this is a Bravo, Acton article is that the Acton Highway Department
acted quickly and appropriately. There was no hassle over was the tree on town property or not, the crews cleaned it up first, because it was truly a mess and something needed to be done right away to ensure entry to the garage.
The end of the story will take some time. The roof of the car was severly dented, and the house has minor damage (no holes in the roof, luckily). The lawn is a mess of holes and twigs. It will take lots of discussion with the insurance people to find out what is covered.
But there is no doubt that the quick action by the Acton Highway Department turned a difficult situation into a manageable one. Bravo, Acton.
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