Step by step
- Wires first. Assume any downed line is live. Call 911 or ComEd, 1-800-334-7661.
- Stay out from under it. Broken limbs caught in the canopy can drop with the next gust.
- Village tree or road blocked? Parkway trees are the Village's (630-554-3242). Oswego police posted road-closure updates on Facebook during the 2026 storm (Shaw Local).
- Your tree on your house? Photos first, then your insurer, then a crew.
Oswego's recent storms
Aug. 11, 2026
An EF-0 tornado with peak winds near 75 mph ran about 5 miles from near US 34 across the Fox River and through subdivisions near Grove Road (NWS Chicago). Boulder Hill reported 6–8 inch branches down on the north side of town (same source). Aurora Airport in Sugar Grove measured an 85 mph gust, and the Oswego Fire Protection District handled 11 power-line calls that day (Shaw Local).
July 16, 2025
NWS storm reports: a 6–8 inch hardwood snapped 3 miles west of Oswego, a 15-inch branch snapped in town, trees blocking roads, and trees down across Long Beach Drive near Boulder Hill (NWS).
Who cleans up what
ComEd clears lines to get power back on. Storm debris from private trees is the owner's responsibility, according to a ComEd notice republished by the Village of Tinley Park (source). The Village of Oswego offers brush pick-up through Public Works (Village); check its schedule for limits before piling up a whole tree. Kendall County residents can self-report storm damage to the county Emergency Management Agency after major events (Shaw Local).
What emergency work involves
A tree on a roof is under tension in unpredictable ways. Crews usually stabilize it, take it apart from the top with a lift or crane, and tarp the damage. Ask for the scope in writing; after-hours and crane work cost more.
Photograph first
Wide shots of the tree and house, close-ups of every point of damage, and where the tree broke.
Sandbags
If storms bring flooding too, Oswego Public Works hands out sandbags; call 630-554-3242 for availability (Village).
Report to the county
After the 2026 storm, Kendall County EMA asked residents to self-report damage (Shaw Local).
Who handles what in Oswego
Wires: treat every downed line as live. Call 911 or ComEd at 1-800-334-7661 and keep everyone, pets included, well back. A tree crew shouldn't touch a tree resting on a line until ComEd has made it safe (ComEd).
Parkway trees: a tree between the sidewalk and curb belongs to the Village, which removes them at no charge. Call Public Works at 630-554-3242 (Village of Oswego). In Boulder Hill, call the Oswego Township Road District, 630-264-4587 (Oswego Township).
Your own trees: those are yours to deal with. Get the house weather-tight first, then the driveway, then the rest of the yard. A crew can often lift a tree off the roof the same day and return later for the stump and cleanup.
Questions to ask a storm crew
- Can you make it safe today and finish the cleanup later?
- Will you take photos for my insurer before and after?
- Is crane or lift time billed separately?
- Has ComEd made the lines safe before you start?