PSA about tree-cutting...

TIDE-HSV · Nov 16, 2019

I have a friend who's laid up in the hospital with, at least, broken femurs and tibiae, hip and unknown internal injuries. They can't even operate yet until they can figure out what needed fixing. He may be in a body cast for months. He lives on a bluff over Guntersville Lake and was trying to cut yesterday when it was windy. The tree fell on him. They couldn't even reach him from above or with a chopper. They had to lower him down in a harness to the base of the bluff. He's in his 80s and moves like it. From the fact that he retired as garrison commander at Redstone, I'm guessing he wasn't real heavy on cutting experience. Lessons are not to cut in wind and not to cut over your experience level...

Bodhisattva · Nov 16, 2019

Goodness! Godspeed to your friend, Earle.

Tidewater · Nov 16, 2019

TIDE-HSV said:
I have a friend who's laid up in the hospital with, at least, broken femurs and tibiae, hip and unknown internal injuries. They can't even operate yet until they can figure out what needed fixing. He may be in a body cast for months. He lives on a bluff over Guntersville Lake and was trying to cut yesterday when it was windy. The tree fell on him. They couldn't even reach him from above or with a chopper. They had to lower him down in a harness to the base of the bluff. He's in his 80s and moves like it. From the fact that he retired as garrison commander at Redstone, I'm guessing he wasn't real heavy on cutting experience. Lessons are not to cut in wind and not to cut over your experience level...

There is probably something to be said for 80 year old men calling and having someone else do the cutting for them. I can't imagine that would be too expensive on Guntersville Lake. Certainly cheaper than the hospital bill headed his way.

BamaNation · Nov 16, 2019

Wow! Prayers for him!

I pay people who have the proper tools and experience to do dangerous stuff. I project the worst thing that could happen and having a tree fall on me would be near top of that list!

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Crimson1967 · Nov 16, 2019

Not to sound like people second guessing Saban, but what was he thinking? That sounds horrible at any age, much less a man in his 80s. Hope he can bounce back.

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Go Bama · Nov 16, 2019

Thank you for posting. I have about 30 trees in my back yard. One is a Bradford pear that I despise. My wife has talked me out of cutting it down several times. I'm going to heed her advice.

I'm also thinking about investing in that scaffolding after reading the Tua injury thread. I can't keep my wife off a ladder. Her brother fell off a ladder last year and broke his back.

gtowntide · Nov 17, 2019

I'm 71 years old and retired. I worked for Stihl selling chainsaws for 30 plus years. I've been on logging sites all over this country and have trained for years in proper safety procedures for cutting trees. If you don't know what you're doing, do not use a chainsaw! A person in this man's age range shouldn't use a saw anymore.

I've felled hundreds of trees in my life but I wouldn't attempt to anymore.
I also don't get on tall ladders or get on the roof of my house anymore. You've got to know your limitations that come with age.

gtowntide · Nov 17, 2019

Go Bama said:
Thank you for posting. I have about 30 trees in my back yard. One is a Bradford pear that I despise. My wife has talked me out of cutting it down several times. I'm going to heed her advice.

I'm also thinking about investing in that scaffolding after reading the Tua injury thread. I can't keep my wife off a ladder. Her brother fell off a ladder last year and broke his back.

Bradford pear trees are really beautiful trees in all seasons, but they're very fragile. Lighting or a strong wind storm will split them right down the middle. I had 3 in my front yard and had to get rid of them. It's a shame because they really are beautiful trees.

Bazza · Nov 17, 2019

Sorry to hear about your friend, Earle.

I'm very respectful of the wind when it comes to any work that could be impacted by it - especially when safety is concerned. Tree work being one HUGE one.

UAH · Nov 17, 2019

TIDE-HSV said:
I have a friend who's laid up in the hospital with, at least, broken femurs and tibiae, hip and unknown internal injuries. They can't even operate yet until they can figure out what needed fixing. He may be in a body cast for months. He lives on a bluff over Guntersville Lake and was trying to cut yesterday when it was windy. The tree fell on him. They couldn't even reach him from above or with a chopper. They had to lower him down in a harness to the base of the bluff. He's in his 80s and moves like it. From the fact that he retired as garrison commander at Redstone, I'm guessing he wasn't real heavy on cutting experience. Lessons are not to cut in wind and not to cut over your experience level...

I have a friend here in Huntsville who several years ago climbed up a ladder and fell, hitting his head on his patio which caused some severe issues requiring surgery to address swelling of the brain. Most of us should leave ladder climbing and tree felling to people who are equipped to do it safely. I count myself lucky to have survived some of my projects of a younger age!

Bamaro · Nov 17, 2019

AUDub · Nov 17, 2019

gtowntide said:
Bradford pear trees are really beautiful trees in all seasons, but they're very fragile. Lighting or a strong wind storm will split them right down the middle. I had 3 in my front yard and had to get rid of them. It's a shame because they really are beautiful trees.

My neighbor has two in his front yard bracketing a bench swing. It's really a beautiful setup.

But the things drop hefty branches in my yard pretty frequently, and I've pulled out my stihl with him on more than one occasion to chop said branches up. One year he had fake webbing in them for Halloween when one dropped. Sucked some of it into the saw on accident. That was a frustrating afternoon.

Bazza · Nov 17, 2019

Bamaro said:

Reminds me of those movie scenes when someone is running away from a vehicle filled with bad guys. They run right down the middle of the street.

The vehicles keeps getting closer and closer. The guy keeps running down the middle of the street. Doesn't try to go left or right....stays right in the middle of the street......

AUDub · Nov 17, 2019

Bazza said:
Reminds me of those movie scenes when someone is running away from a vehicle filled with bad guys. They run right down the middle of the street.

The vehicles keeps getting closer and closer. The guy keeps running down the middle of the street. Doesn't try to go left or right....stays right in the middle of the street......

The name for that phenomenon is the "Prometheus School of Running Away from Things"

TIDE-HSV · Nov 17, 2019

gtowntide said:
I'm 71 years old and retired. I worked for Stihl selling chainsaws for 30 plus years. I've been on logging sites all over this country and have trained for years in proper safety procedures for cutting trees. If you don't know what you're doing, do not use a chainsaw! A person in this man's age range shouldn't use a saw anymore.

I've felled hundreds of trees in my life but I wouldn't attempt to anymore.
I also don't get on tall ladders or get on the roof of my house anymore. You've got to know your limitations that come with age.

I'd forgotten you did that. Most of my saws are Stihls, although I did buy a big Husquarna for my last one. I still climb ladders and I still get on the roof to clean out the stovepipe. However, if a tree requires a lift, I hire a skilled climber...

NationalTitles18 · Nov 18, 2019

Love my Stihl chainsaw and pole chainsaw but I'm happy to have only seven trees on my property with only two reaching more than about 15 feet. If I can't reach it with the pole saw or with the buildings and fences in close proximity if one of the larger trees needs to come down I'll call someone in to do it. I hope your friend has a full recovery.

gtowntide · Nov 18, 2019

My problem is balance so I try to keep my feet on the ground! The last tree I felled was a sweet gum that I took down about three years ago and I’m still burning it for firewood!

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TIDE-HSV · Nov 18, 2019

Bazza said:
Reminds me of those movie scenes when someone is running away from a vehicle filled with bad guys. They run right down the middle of the street.

The vehicles keeps getting closer and closer. The guy keeps running down the middle of the street. Doesn't try to go left or right....stays right in the middle of the street......

That's like when you scream in the horror movie - "Don't go down those dark stairs!!!"

TIDE-HSV · Nov 18, 2019

NationalTitles17 said:
Love my Stihl chainsaw and pole chainsaw but I'm happy to have only seven trees on my property with only two reaching more than about 15 feet. If I can't reach it with the pole saw or with the buildings and fences in close proximity if one of the larger trees needs to come down I'll call someone in to do it. I hope your friend has a full recovery.

He had 8 hours of surgery yesterday. I haven't heard any details...

Bazza · Nov 18, 2019

On the subject of ladders....I just picked up one of these "platform" ladders last week from Walmart.

It wasn't on my shopping list but for some reason when I saw the display I felt the need to grab one.

I've always used conventional ladders but now that I'm getting up there I'm trying to be a little more proactive in matters of safety and well being.

I also bought my first full face protective shield for doing grinding and cutting with my angle grinder, die grinder, or dremel:

PSA about tree-cutting...

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