# toppint tree = 911 ride



## ASD (Sep 8, 2009)

*topping tree = 911 ride*

Erick Bakker a tree climber working for professional tree care was topping a tree on the doil drive project in San Francisco ca. today (09/08/2009) and something went wrong as the top came off he is now in ICU with a broken fem er and other unspecified injuries. Erick is a friend of mine and has worked with us in the past I will keep you posted as I find out more.

Thanks
Scott


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## lego1970 (Sep 8, 2009)

Hope your friend makes a full and speedy recovery.


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## treemandan (Sep 9, 2009)

sorry to hear. I hope he is Ok


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## ASD (Sep 11, 2009)

*Update*

Talked to Erick on the phone today 09/11/2009 he is still in the hospital. He said he is going to be "OK" but it is going to be a long and slow recovery as he is now the proud owner of a SS rod and a hand full of screws in his fe-mer. It is also to early to tell how his back / neck are but they seem to be ok.

Be Safe and I will keep you posted

Thanks
Scott


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## scott t (Sep 11, 2009)

sorry to hear glad he is going to make it


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## tomtrees58 (Sep 11, 2009)

good long road to go thear tom trees


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## yooper (Sep 11, 2009)

Hope yer buddy heals well ASD


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## outofmytree (Sep 12, 2009)

Get well soon mate. At least now you can have some fun with the ladies at the airport metal detectors.... "No, I dont have any metal screws in my leg, I guess you're gonna have to frisk me. A little to the right... a little more.... ahhhhh thats it!"


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## VA-Sawyer (Sep 14, 2009)

So, What went wrong ?


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## fishercat (Sep 15, 2009)

*best wishes to your friend.*

i hope for the best for him and all those in his life.


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## Apocalypsse (Sep 15, 2009)

Trees dont like being topped...


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## ASD (Sep 15, 2009)

Apocalypsse said:


> Trees dont like being topped...



He was topping it and then he was going to fall the rest


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## ASD (Sep 15, 2009)

VA-Sawyer said:


> So, What went wrong ?



He said that when he was making the back cut the saw sputtered at the worst possible time so he was unable to make the cut as fast as he wanted and the top ripped off the base and got him


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## Shaun Bowler (Sep 15, 2009)

I learned a long time ago, before you make those type of cuts, make sure you have enough gas in the tank. If that was the problem.
AS well as a bunch of other stuff, that everyone learns from "experience" (mistakes) and live to work another day.


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## Shaun Bowler (Sep 22, 2009)

Do you have any info as to how they got him out of the tree and to the ground?


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## ASD (Sep 23, 2009)

Erick was able to lower himself after he spent a couple of minutes yanking on his broken lag trying to get the gaff to come out of the tree. The saw was full of gas and just lost power/sputtered. He is now home and trying to heal. He is in good spirits and a strong willed person. He will be OK it's just going to be a long road


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## polingspig (Sep 23, 2009)

*Terrible thing to happen*

I'm glad he'll be OK. I'll be praying for him.


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## outofmytree (Sep 24, 2009)

Don't you wish every HO who thinks he can handle that big tree in his own yard could read these threads and figure out that if professionals can get hurt then amateurs should stay the hell out of way?!


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## Maplekid (Sep 27, 2009)

A guy a few towns over had to have 911 called after topping a tree but he wasn't so lucky. It was for the fire department to get a deceaced arborist out of a tree. He was topping the tree when the saw kicked back the final cause of death was laceration I . That was in the spring. He had been cutting trees for over thirty years and was on a job when it happened.


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## Dadatwins (Sep 27, 2009)

scary stuff, hope he gets well soon. the physical stuff will heal probably faster than the mental.


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