You have to be serious when felling a tree. The job can get very dangerous, even fatal, if you don't approach it with the proper awareness. There are some absolutely necessary safety equipment items that you should wear for felling a tree, and particularly when felling a tree by hand: A high quality logger's hat to protect you against flying splinters, a leading cause of timber falling injuries. If you haven't already got one, get one as soon as possible. Get a hat that's comfortable, lightweight and strong; it will provide the best protection on the job.
When it comes to felling a tree by hand, one of the most important things you should do is check to make sure there aren't any dangerous limbs sticking out from under the main stem of the tree. If they are protruding dangerously out, step back and take a swing at them. Some people will try to chop them off using their saw, but it's better to aim for the thickest branches on the opposite side of the tree. Thickets and grass tend to lodge into the branches on the opposite side of the trunk. They'll either break off or stick into the branch and cause problems later. Make sure you don't waste your time chopping these.
Once you've made the first cut and gotten a clear view of what you're dealing with, stay within a safe distance from the tree and make your second cut with a little further distance away. This will give you more time to work with and prevent injury. This second cut should be used to gently lift the dead or fallen tree off the ground and remove any damaged parts of the trunk. If you don't manage to get everything out, wait for a while until you can get help, and then take further steps.
Check power lines near your home regularly if you live in an area that may be prone to power line bursts. You may be able to avoid a large tree felling by having a lightning proof canopy or by taking precautions to protect yourself when power lines are near. There is no need to get your name on the white pages to find out if there are power lines that may be causing a problem, as power lines are inspected regularly for signs of trouble by trained professionals. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) offers a list of frequently visited power lines that may cause a tree to fall, as well as the names and addresses of the companies that have been contracted to perform routine maintenance on them.
As far as removing fallen trees are concerned, do not try to fell them on your own. The fall should only be removed by a trained arborists. I'm sure you didn't want to pay someone $ 200 just so you could make your property safer by not felling a tree, so take your tree to a licensed arborist who will be able to inspect it and tell you how much it would cost to remove it, plus how long it will take before it falls.
When cutting a tree, always make sure that your safety goggles and earplugs are on, and that there are no dangerous objects or hazards close by. You must also never try to cut through the thick, solid stem of a wood object, as doing so could cause serious injury. A general rule of thumb is that if you can see past the end of the blade, then you have enough room to cut. However, be careful about using a saw with diamond blades - these are not only very hard to spot, but also extremely dangerous. The best way to identify if something is too flammable is to put the object in a cup of water for a short time - if the water boils, then the object is too flammable.