Tree Falling Training Fatality

[The 2024 Summer Issue of Two More Chains focused on leadership and highlighted incidents in which firefighters who weren’t “in charge” suddenly needed to make leadership decisions and take action. This short summary of the “Tree Falling Training Injury” incident—and its key lesson—was one of these writeups that originally appeared in that Two More Chains issue.]

On June 26, 2009, a BLM Engine Captain was fatally injured during a tree felling training exercise on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. The trainer, a qualified B-Level Faller, was performing as a trainer with two trainees.

The trainer had the two trainees switch back and forth to practice falling on four or five trees. The trainee working on this incident’s tree felt the complexity was beyond their skill level. Therefore, the trainer had the trainee move to a safe location and the trainer took the saw.

When the trainer felled the tree, the crown of a dead aspen became hung-up in a live aspen tree. The live aspen tree was under tension from the weight and pressure of the dead tree. The trainer unsuccessfully attempted to get the dead tree onto the ground by cutting the remaining holding wood of the original tree—but the tree remained suspended.

Next, the trainer began cutting farther up on the hung-up dead aspen tree. As he completed his second cut, the dead tree came off the stump and broke into pieces. The upper piece of the dead tree was catapulted by the bent live aspen and struck the trainer in the back and head as he was attempting to escape.

Firefighter EMTs on the scene and ground ambulance personnel were unable to resuscitate the trainer.

Key Lesson

Remember to reevaluate the extra time you may need to reach a designated escape route if you move away from your original cutting location.