# Tree lopper's body wedged between branches



## Macclay (Dec 17, 2008)

My prayers with his friends and family, so close to xmas, so sad

Tree lopper's body wedged between branches
BY TYRON BUTSON
17/12/2008 9:31:00 AM
A TREE lopper died after he became wedged between branches 15 metres above the ground in Maryland last night.

The man's body was left hanging for more than 21/2 hours as emergency services tried several times to retrieve him.


Specialist police rescue officers, firefighters and paramedics were called to Kiara Close after neighbours spotted the man dangling from the tree about 6pm.


It is believed the man became wedged between two branches of a tree in the front yard of a Kiara Close house and was badly injured as he tried to wiggle free. He died in the tree soon after. 


Firefighters used ladders to reach the man but were unable to pull him free.


They said the man showed no signs of life and did not respond to them.


Police spent most of the night at the scene and said they were still looking into the accident.


"We're still investigating, but police have established a crime scene and we're now trying to determine exactly how he died up there," a police spokesman said.


He said firefighters and police rescue officers worked together to try to get the man down.


It is unknown if the man was a professional tree lopper or an amateur who had attempted to cut branches from the tree, but he was using climbing gear and a safety harness.


Residents of the Maryland street were shocked by the incident.


"It's crazy, he's just hanging there, it's awful," one man said.


Police had not formally named the man last night.


A report was expected to be prepared for the coroner after further investigation. 

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ers-body-wedged-between-branches/1387953.aspx


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## Castenea (Dec 17, 2008)

If the guy was already dead, why not take the 15min to 1 hr needed to get someone with a lift there and save a lot of effort and probably time in the end?

Unless Australia has very different conventions than the US most trees in residential front yards are accessible by bucket trucks


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## (WLL) (Dec 17, 2008)

sad story, my deepest sympathy's to his family and friends.


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## pdqdl (Dec 17, 2008)

There is a picture with the news article quoted above that seems to show the rescue effort centered in a narrow angled crotch of a large tree.

I copied the image and enlarged it: there appears to be a pile of brush at the base of the tree, with several large stubs evident on the trunk of the tree.

I would guess that he cut off too much weight while he was in too tight a location, and it closed up on him.

Getting squeezed to death by a tree would be pretty horrible. When it goes bad, tree injuries usually happen pretty fast. This is one of the most gruesome fatalities I have heard of.

Has anyone learned any more about this event? What did the investigation reveal?


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## smokechase II (Dec 18, 2008)

*time*

"What did the investigation reveal?"

Should read:

I wonder what the investigation will reveal?

------------------

Would you prefer a completed investigation prior to the bodies arrival at the morgue or just that standard prior to burial?


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## pdqdl (Dec 19, 2008)

Smoke: that's just silly semantics. 

When I post, it is generally for future readers. By posting, I subscribe to the thread, and I will read future responses. Hence, my choice of "past tense" for an event of unknown existence.


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## smokechase II (Dec 19, 2008)

*Copy*

Understood


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## Eagle1 (Dec 20, 2008)

```
If the guy was already dead, why not take the 15min to 1 hr needed to get someone with a lift there and save a lot of effort and probably time in the end?

Unless Australia has very different conventions than the US most trees in residential front yards are accessible by bucket trucks
```

I was going to say that was such a cold reply to that post.........than I saw you were from Washington D.C. I now understand.

PS. Are there any trees in Washington DC?


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## Castenea (Dec 22, 2008)

> I was going to say that was such a cold reply to that post.........than I saw you were from Washington D.C. I now understand.
> 
> PS. Are there any trees in Washington DC?



This is more along the lines of a pet peeve of mine. I get irritated at the number of times I see videos (and stories) of rescue personnel scrambling around makeshift, when getting the proper equipment in would finish the task quicker, even when the time to bring in the equipment is factored in, and likely with fewer complications.

DC has a lot of trees, there have been some recent articles about the problems the city has been having with Ginkos.


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## Eagle1 (Dec 22, 2008)

Fair enough. I can understand.

Also, I am sure that there are plenty of trees in DC. I am sure that in having a tree business in DC you really must know tree care. Really some beauties down there.


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## pdqdl (Dec 22, 2008)

Castenea said:


> This is more along the lines of a pet peeve of mine. I get irritated at the number of times I see videos (and stories) of rescue personnel scrambling around makeshift, when getting the proper equipment in would finish the task quicker, even when the time to bring in the equipment is factored in, and likely with fewer complications.
> 
> DC has a lot of trees, there have been some recent articles about the problems the city has been having with Ginkos.



There are several problems with emergency personell calling in a tree service to do a rescue: 

1. The tree service is presumably not adequately trained to perform emergency services, and almost certainly is not insured or licensed for it.
2. I never heard of any emergency service having an established contract established to HIRE a contractor with a bucket truck for emergency purposes. So who would pay the bill?
3. In the absence of a pre-arranged service contract for emergency aerial rescue, who would be liable if something went wrong? That sort of thing take much paperwork done well in advance to confirm insurance requirements, sign legal documents, damage waivers, etc.
4. If nobody gets aerially rescued, who is going to pay the contractor for all that time spent on call ?
5. Who is going to rely on a contractor to save their life on a "maybe we will call you" basis. What if he goes on vacation, not having been called in the last 8 months ?

So they call the fire department for aerial emergencies, and hope for the best. Since their ladder trucks usually go much higher than a bucket truck, why would you call anyone else?


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## lostcoastland (Dec 23, 2008)

*Position*

when making any cut's in a tree you should be cutting down from above free and clear from any falling limb's. He was either...badly positioned cutting above then inevitably in the path of danger, slipped and fell as he was making the cut and swung under the limb then it fell on him, or he was topping a limb without a redirect and was unable to undo his flip line and escape. either way a million things could have happened. i think the most dangerous thing to do is topping a spar while tied to the stem , without anywhere to go . any time you can tie into a neighboring crotch you should and never take shortcuts while doing this kind of work. Also ALWAYS, Repeat Always have a top rope tied to whatever your cutting ( unless your in a open feild or it's unsafe and make sure you have a comealong backing up your grounds men. I've slipped off a bank while pulling a rope for someone and almost lost a 35 ft. alder tree onto a house, the kids saw was so dull i got tired waiting for him to cut it and slipped, luckily it took him forever to cut it and i was able to scramble back up the bank and pull the tree away from the house. it could happen to anyof us but the chances lessen when you prepare the job and know all your cut's and play em safe.


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## Climbing Fool (Dec 24, 2008)

My sympathies to his family at this time.


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## Climbing Fool (Dec 24, 2008)

If the climber was spotted by a neighbour where was his groundie? Was he working solo? It is my opinion after working in various hazardous industries before switching to arboriculture that it is just not safe to work alone. If this is your current practise please rethink. If this person had a groundie perhaps the outcome may have been different.


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## pdqdl (Dec 26, 2008)

Climbing Fool said:


> If the climber was spotted by a neighbour where was his groundie? ...



No doubt! It seems that most of the fatalities reported on his website are associated with untrained workers or semi-skilled people working alone.


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## boo (Dec 28, 2008)

pdqdl said:


> There are several problems with emergency personell calling in a tree service to do a rescue:
> 
> 1. The tree service is presumably not adequately trained to perform emergency services, and almost certainly is not insured or licensed for it.
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## boo (Dec 28, 2008)

My heartfelt sympathy for the family and friends.


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## Castenea (Dec 29, 2008)

pdqdl said:


> So they call the fire department for aerial emergencies, and hope for the best. Since their ladder trucks usually go much higher than a bucket truck, why would you call anyone else?



Since the fire departments in metro DC, and near many (most?) large cites have ladder trucks that are basically modified boom trucks, this type of equipment would quickly get personnel in position immediately above the trapped climber, much like a bucket truck.

You ask about subcontracting, why not just know one or more equipment rental place in the area emergency services serve and rent the equipment for the job?


In the incident in the article at the top of the thread the piece of equipment that would like of come in handy would have been a scissors jack (like used for changing car tires) to spread the two trunks and free the trapped climber.


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## Ghillie (Dec 29, 2008)

Castenea said:


> This is more along the lines of a pet peeve of mine. I get irritated at the number of times I see videos (and stories) of rescue personnel scrambling around makeshift, when getting the proper equipment in would finish the task quicker, even when the time to bring in the equipment is factored in, and likely with fewer complications.
> 
> DC has a lot of trees, there have been some recent articles about the problems the city has been having with Ginkos.



This is a sore point with me also but PDQDL brings up some very important points below.



pdqdl said:


> There are several problems with emergency personell calling in a tree service to do a rescue:
> 
> 1. The tree service is presumably not adequately trained to perform emergency services, and almost certainly is not insured or licensed for it.
> 2. I never heard of any emergency service having an established contract established to HIRE a contractor with a bucket truck for emergency purposes. So who would pay the bill?
> ...



Some other points to consider.

1. How will the operater of the equipment that is brought in handle the stress of an emergency situation like this? Has he seen more than the occasional cut that needs a few stitches? Is he trained in EMS. Can he stabilize the patient victim in place with I.V. fluids/medication? *The majority of people that are thrust into these situations cannot wrap their head around the fact that sometimes the BEST that they can do is to keep the situation from getting worse. They cannot un-injure a person.*

2. If you stick a trained rescuer into unfamiliar equipment you are not keeping the situation from getting worse. You are introducing a whole new set of variables to the equation and risk adding the rescuer to the list of injured.

The best you can hope for is that the Fire Dept. or other agency called is proactive not reactive. That they have the money/tax base to pay for specialized rescue equipment *AND* the money to pay for the proper training for the rescuers that are going to use it. And that the people that are deciding where the money is spent don't have their head firmly stuck up their...........well, you get the point I hope.

Believe me, something as "simple" as a body recovery WILL make a grown man cry and his knees go weak.

If that seemed like it struck a nerve...It did. Not trying to bash anyone.


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## Ghillie (Dec 29, 2008)

boo said:


> pdqdl said:
> 
> 
> > There are several problems with emergency personell calling in a tree service to do a rescue:
> ...



And the appropriate intervention in suspension trauma injury is?


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## Ghillie (Dec 29, 2008)

Castenea said:


> Since the fire departments in metro DC, and near many (most?) large cites have ladder trucks that are basically modified boom trucks, this type of equipment would quickly get personnel in position immediately above the trapped climber, much like a bucket truck.
> 
> You ask about subcontracting, why not just know one or more equipment rental place in the area emergency services serve and rent the equipment for the job?
> 
> ...



And this is not makeshift how?


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## boo (Dec 29, 2008)

Ghillie said:


> And the appropriate intervention in suspension trauma injury is?



don't take my word for it .... google it for yourselves.
everyone in the tree care industry should know it.
would be nothing worse than killing someone while trying to save them.
it's worth researching.


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## Climbing Fool (Dec 29, 2008)

Castenea said:


> In the incident in the article at the top of the thread the piece of equipment that would like of come in handy would have been a scissors jack (like used for changing car tires) to spread the two trunks and free the trapped climber.



Thats an interesting idea but one that has a large number of unkowns. The Jaws of Life, as we call that hydro device in Australia, are heavier than an '88 and require secure anchoring points to operate from. Even with all the time thats goes into rescue training with this tool there are still injuries to those being rescued and those doing the rescuing. Now take that apparatus 12 metres off the ground in bucket and in applying the unit hope you dont stress the crotch to the point it shears and causes more injuries below...I am not being critical of new ideas but rather pointing out that in this case it is my opinion that this idea causes more problems than it solves. You could probably do far more with a hand winch attached to his lifeline and a 20l drum of oil for lube.

All of this is moot however as the poor guy was dead when emergency services arrived.


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## Ghillie (Dec 29, 2008)

boo said:


> don't take my word for it .... google it for yourselves.
> everyone in the tree care industry should know it.
> would be nothing worse than killing someone while trying to save them.
> it's worth researching.



I am not taking your word for it..... And I don't have to "google" it.



boo said:


> pdqdl said:
> 
> 
> > There are several problems with emergency personell calling in a tree service to do a rescue:
> ...


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## Ghillie (Dec 29, 2008)

Climbing Fool said:


> Thats an interesting idea but one that has a large number of unkowns. The Jaws of Life, as we call that hydro device in Australia, are heavier than an '88 and require secure anchoring points to operate from. Even with all the time thats goes into rescue training with this tool there are still injuries to those being rescued and those doing the rescuing. Now take that apparatus 12 metres off the ground in bucket and in applying the unit hope you dont stress the crotch to the point it shears and causes more injuries below...I am not being critical of new ideas but rather pointing out that in this case it is my opinion that this idea causes more problems than it solves. You could probably do far more with a hand winch attached to his lifeline and a 20l drum of oil for lube.
> 
> All of this is moot however as the poor guy was dead when emergency services arrived.



What brand of hydro units are you using? I know exactly what you are talking about with the heavy spreaders. Some of the old ones would take two men and a boy to lift.

Very good point about breaking the crotch before you had his weight suspended.


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## boo (Dec 30, 2008)

Ghillie said:


> I am not taking your word for it..... And I don't have to "google" it.



Brilliant!!
it's your question.


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## Climbing Fool (Jan 6, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> What brand of hydro units are you using? I know exactly what you are talking about with the heavy spreaders. Some of the old ones would take two men and a boy to lift.
> 
> Very good point about breaking the crotch before you had his weight suspended.




Sorry mate, I didn't pay too much attention to brand. I saw what was "current" technology demo'd at the Royal Show (agricultural fair) here in Perth 2 years ago. I remember the weight being enough to make me grunt when lifting but I have no specifics.


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