Ohio Shutdown

[Gareth's Tree]

So, it looks like Ohio is shut down for two weeks starting tomorrow night. From what I can tell this includes tree work. I was thinking about making a call tomorrow to confirm this unless anyone on here has any insights? Is this something that TCIA can give us insight on?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

ISA and TCIA made a joint statement about the issue.The statement may not have 'legal legs' but it is a credible position. There are lists of essential services like hazard management included. General shrub pruning...not.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

https://www.isa-arbor.com/Portals/0/Assets/PDF/News/ISA-TCIA-Jointhttps://www.isa-arbor.com/Portals/0/Assets/PDF/News/ISA-TCIA-Joint-Statement-Essential-Services.pdf-Statement-Essential-Services.pdf

 

[Reach]

PA shut down on Friday, but has deemed tree services to be landscape companies, which are considered essential services under building maintenance contractors. So perhaps Ohio might be similar?

 

[ATH]

Here is the lockdown ORDER from the director of health:

https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHOOD/2020/03/22/file_attachments/1407840/Stay%20Home%20Order.pdf

Page 6, letter k Critical trades:
"...and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences..."

Sounds like dead limb and tree removal to me. I had already printed this and the TCIA/ISA letter that @Tom Dunlap linked above. I won't be doing regular pruning or planting which I had scheduled for this week. Need to start crabapple sprays pretty quickly, but not sure I can do those either.

 

[Gareth's Tree]

PA shut down on Friday, but has deemed tree services to be landscape companies, which are considered essential services under building maintenance contractors. So perhaps Ohio might be similar?

You said in the other thread that you talked to someone in the PA state department to find that out? Was it hard to get to the right person? Did they say you could only do essential work, or business as usual?

 

[Reach]

You said in the other thread that you talked to someone in the PA state department to find that out? Was it hard to get to the right person? Did they say you could only do essential work, or business as usual?

I spoke to someone with the DCED, not quite the state department, but the department overseeing the business shutdown.

It was not hard to get to the right person, just a bit of a roundabout method. They published an email address and phone number to call if you had questions about the closures, so I called and was told the call center did not have an answer, so send an email. The email came back as an autoresponder with a link to a FAQ page that did t help, and another phone number to call if I had further questions. I called in the morning, had to leave a message, but got a call back about 5 hours later. Not too bad considering the call volume they were getting. They answered over 7000 calls on Friday alone.

We may perform business as usual, although they recommend postponing as much work as possible, reducing staffing levels, and eliminating as much contact as possible while we do work.