Be careful as you clean up the debris

Be careful as you saw that branch off your downed tree: It could be hiding a live wire.

Or possums and raccoons could burst out from underneath it. Then again, your chainsaw could malfunction — or get stuck, as happened to Beau Riha’s neighbor in Plantation on Monday.

“Don’t take on any job that’s above your head,” said Riha, an owner of US Mow, a Davie landscaping company. “If it’s a couple of palm fronds, that’s one thing, but don’t try to save a buck and operate equipment you don’t know how to operate.”

Authorities and tree specialists are warning South Florida residents to exercise care as they clear their properties of debris postHurricane Irma. A branch might be heavier than it looks, while a tree that appears securely rooted could topple, said Cary Porter, owner of Boca Tree Service.

Broward County offers these tips for using a chainsaw after severe weather:

Always keep both hands on the chainsaw handles.

Cut only on the right side of your body.

Cut below your head. Never cut over your head.

Cut with the lower edge of the saw blade whenever possible. Cutting with the tip of the saw is inviting injury.

Watch out when cutting limbs or branches that are bent. They may snap back and hit you.

Let the chainsaw do work. Don't try to force saw.

“Everyone should use the utmost care and protect themselves with the proper eyewear, long sleeves and gloves,” said Chaz Adams, public affairs manager for Fort Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale crews were clearing streets on Monday; the priority was getting trees and sand off S.R. A1A, Adams said.

Boca Raton crews finished their work clearing streets by Monday morning, spokeswoman Chrissy Gibson said. She said several trees that were blocking roadways could not be removed the the because they were tangled in downed power lines and had to await FPL crews for assistance.

Palm Beach County residents clearing their lawns and driveways should carefully organize their debris for pickup, said Willie Puz, spokesman for the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County.

Garbage should accumulate in cans or a single pile, while vegetation should be separated in another and construction waste in a third pile, he said. He said it’s important to keep these mounds away from power lines, mailboxes and fire hydrants, because trash trucks pick up the waste with giant clamps that can’t maneuver around these objects.