Tree Trimmer Gets Stuck 40-Feet in the Air

[TMW]

http://www.sandiego6.com:80/news/local/s...uuQQbHp7VQ.cspx

A novice tree trimmer got stuck about 40-feet in the air. A construction worker by trade, David was helping his Aunt out by trimming her palm trees. He lost the spike on his boot so he couldn't get down.

"Just hold on for dear life. It was pretty intense," says David.

The fire department come to the rescue using their ladder truck to give David an escape route.

Neighbors say David lost the spike the day before but was able to get down on his own. His Aunt had asked him not to do anymore trimming.

"It scared her to death... she didn't want him going back up there again but today apparently him and his partner were up there and the same thing basically happens," says neighbor Blayne Thibodeau.

When asked if he'd think twice about doing more tree trimming, David says, "No, I'm going up tomorrow."

 

[HÖLLENREICH]

a prime example of a Darwin Awards winner there.

 

[treehumper]

maybe some basic training in proper use of gaffs!

 

[Blinky]

How the hell do you lose a spike?

 

[HÖLLENREICH]

duck tape only hold for so long

 

[easyphloem]

[ QUOTE ]

When asked if he'd think twice about doing more tree trimming, David says, "No, I'm going up tomorrow."

[/ QUOTE ]

Third times the charm?



SZ

 

[Blinky]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

When asked if he'd think twice about doing more tree trimming, David says, "No, I'm going up tomorrow."

[/ QUOTE ]

Third times the charm?



SZ

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm guessing he still hasn't thought once yet.

 

[TreeCo]

Quitters don't make it in this biz.

Go Dave!

 

[No_Bivy]

duct tape works good......whimp

 

[treedimensional]

Not here when its -40!

 

[Blinky]

[ QUOTE ]
Not here when its -40!

[/ QUOTE ]

What do you guys use up there instead? ...baling wire? Let me guess, it's a DRY cold.

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

[ QUOTE ]
duck tape only hold for so long

[/ QUOTE ]

LMAO!

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

And to think that something as simple as an adjustable false crotch would have prevented that...

 

[treedimensional]

At least try something different with each attempt!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result!

It its cold enough we just spit on 'em and they stick GOOOOOD!

 

[bigshea13]

lmao!!!!! hey maybe the fire dept will let him use their truck to finish the job.

 

[tophopper]

[ QUOTE ]
And to think that something as simple as an adjustable false crotch would have prevented that...

[/ QUOTE ]

That would require a rope.

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And to think that something as simple as an adjustable false crotch would have prevented that...

[/ QUOTE ]

That would require a rope.

[/ QUOTE ]

I over looked that one.

 

[Blinky]

[ QUOTE ]


It its cold enough we just spit on 'em and they stick GOOOOOD!

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess it's a plus to have hairy legs then... something for the frozen spit to hang on to.

 

[treedimensional]

I guess I may have over stepped my bounds here!

First of all we can't grow palms at all in the frozen North (except indoors), and secondly I have never worked on a palm!

I all seriousness, there appears to be a huge increase in the number of reports of DIYers getting maimed or killed doing work outside their area of expertize. The current financial conditions appears to have provoked people to throw caution to the wind, and attempt to either save money by performing the work themselves OR starting a tree care business with little to NO training. Moon-lighting, is a term all tree company owners are familiar with, when times get tough, anyone who wants CAN get a saw, a ladder and a light rope, and their in the game!

This thread should be a wake-up call to all of us in the tree care industry to promote our industry. What we do day-to-day, becomes almost mundane, but in the eyes of the consumer, we make what we do look easy. This creates a false sense of confidence in some homeowners eyes.

A few years ago, I had a male homeowner ask me to quote a small removal for him. I fairly estimated the job, and he declined our proposal. Over the next few days, I noticed him watching every job we did. Peeking around buildings and driving by, he was attempting to learn how to do his own work. Well you guessed the outcome, he got hurt!

Can this be prevented, NO, but we as an industry, should let anyone who will listen, know it can be a life altering event when a tree doesn't go where its supposed to.

This topic could fill volumes of books, and it gets tiring selling yourself to Joe homeowner. Sometimes all you can do is plant the seed of thought and let the consumer make up their own mind. I always try and take the time to promote safe tree work, its human nature to try and prevent other people from hurting themselves.

BUT it was kind of funny that the one spurred palm climber wasn't going to give up!

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

[ QUOTE ]
What we do day-to-day, becomes almost mundane, but in the eyes of the consumer, we make what we do look easy. This creates a false sense of confidence in some homeowners eyes.


[/ QUOTE ]

Totally true. I did a bid a while back for a property which was never maintained in about 20 years. Every tree on the property need attention. About 30 trees in all. Well, he calls me months later to do "some of the suggested work." So, because I gave him an itemized list of things that needed to be done, guess what? He did the minor stuff I suggested (which was a horrible stub-a-thon attack on the trim work I suggested). He did some smaller removals and got lucky.

I did the 3 large tree removals for him. My feeling is he did something with the smaller removals which scared the

out of him.

I can't whine too much, I still got some work from him.