# Listen to your elders.



## Curtis James (Nov 18, 2003)

I have a couple buddies that use to work for a highly accredited residential tree service, both guys left for more money and benefits. They didn't burn any bridges just moved on. I caught wind of this horrific accident from both of them.
The climber, who was discribed to me as a spit fire know it all, arrives on the job and discards his fathers(the owner) instructions. He decides the dead tree is OK to climb.He was told to tie into the large oak right next to the hazardous dead tree. Upon the removal of the first large limb the ground man took a wrap on the very tree they were removing. The stress of the limb falling and the wrap caused the entire tree to fall. The climber rode the tree down falling onto a large wooden playhouse/swing set that was in the yard. The climber had several broken bones and was bleeding from his eyes and ears. Comatose for two days the doctors were not very hopefull for his recovery. Unbelievably he is fine now, he has to relearn a few things and was a little slow with his speech but a complete recovery.
I also learned after head tramma like that they take away your drivers license untill you retake the written and driving exam over again. The lord was with him that day!


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## njarbor (Nov 21, 2003)

jeeze. ive always wondered what the feeling is like if you ride a falling tree. id rather just wonder though


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## John Paul Sanborn (Nov 23, 2003)

I buddy of my who used to work in Philly rode a tree down through a garage roof. I don't remember the entire story, but he has hardwear in his back and pelvis if i remember right.


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## FBerkel (Nov 24, 2003)

It probably didn't matter which tree the wrap was taked on. The fact that a wrap was used at all, instead of a friction device, may well be what caused the accident. A port-a-wrap or other lowering device gives the groundie a better chance to let some rope run, rather than catch a piece all at once, which shock loads the tree.

Sounds like a job for a bucket and a crane, though.


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## murphy4trees (Dec 18, 2003)

I love the Big Shot.... One great thing it can do is set lowering lines in adjascent trees.... If the climber had at least lowerred from the oak, there would have been no shock load.....
I did a storm damage removal of an elephant leaf magnolia, that was soooooo hollow and rotten that it was falling apart a bit at a time.... no adjascent trees to tie into, but there was a huge Norway Maple with a wide canopy not too far away.... I wanted to use it for lowering to avoid shock loading. The only problem was there was no good crotch to use. So I just shot a line through the canopy branches and used that. taking only light pieces out of the magnolia, above the guy lines, I was REALLY GLAD ther was no shock loading ... That would not have been possible without the Big Shot, at least for me... There was only minor damage to the maple, maybe (1) 2-3" branch broken.


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