About Us

I started climbing trees professionally on an island southeast of Miami, when I was sixteen. Whenever a hurricane threatened and especially when a watch or warning was issued, I’d round up a crew. We’d do everything from “hurricane-pruning” trees by reducing “sail” and top-weight (please see “Services” and click on Tree Pruning) to installing plywood. We called ourselves “Hurricane Hotline.” Later I started Hurricane Hotline Tree Service.

Then, in 1992, after countless close calls and false-alarms, came ANDREW. We pruned and hammered and threw patio furniture into pools we were filling to the brim with water to keep from popping out of the ground. We moored boats with extra lines and dived canals and harbors to sink anchors to hold. My partner’s dad’s 32′ Bertram was one of ’em and it was still there, unharmed, when Andrew moved away up the gulf. Others (none we Hotliners had secured) were on top of houses, in the middle of causeways…you name it!

After all the clean-up there wasn’t a tree left standing. West of Miami to The Glades and south to Key Largo, trees were gone, houses flattened. With no trees left I tried my hand at roofing and building homes. But, I’m a tree-climber at heart.

I came to North Carolina in ’93 to visit friends and family who’d moved here from Miami.

Once I’d seen the beautiful pines and oaks I knew I wanted to live here. I started Perry Tree Service that summer. I was living on Pine St. in Carrboro when Fran hit. I watched it from my porch. It gave Andrew a run for its money!