Here's the deal. That tree had to come down, because it was in a place and a condition where it was an immediate hazard to firefighters. It was far too sketchy up top for me to cut, and full of bullets to boot. I crippled it to make it easier to push over by putting a face in the back side (where the bullets aren't) and putting part of a backcut in, but not enough to move the top. The operator is a guy with 20+ years experience. The tree wasn't going over, because it was a 36" Douglas-Fir, and those things, even dead and partly-rotten, don't give up the ghost easily. He pushed until there was no more push to give, then let off, got closer, and tried again. It still didn't let go. Finally he resorted to rocking it, because that was breaking the fibers down low. The top came out and clobbered the cab. The FOPS held, as designed. He knew his risks, and was not injured. This was an expensive mishap, but there were no injuries, and firefighter safety was significantly enhanced. If you're gonna take the moral absolutism tack where protecting the machine at all costs is the only acceptable answer, then, I suppose we don't have anything else to talk about.