Dutch Creek Tree Felling Fatality 2008

Link to video: We Will Never Forget You: Remembering Andy Palmer

Early in the day on July 22, 2008, an engine from Olympic National Park received a resource order to report to the Iron Complex, on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, near Junction City, California. On July 25 the engine module was given an assignment as a falling module to Division B on the Eagle Fire. The assignment was to mitigate hazard trees along the fire line, so crews could safely work in the area. At approximately 1350, personnel called ICP for medical assistance for a severely injured firefighter, Andrew "Andy" Palmer. Emergency medical personnel responded and treated Palmer for severe bleeding. Due to heavy smoke conditions primary helicopter resources were unable to respond to the accident location. Firefighters carried Palmer, by litter, to a location where he was hoisted into a United States Coast Guard helicopter, at approximately 1630. The USCG helicopter carrying Palmer arrived at Redding Municipal Airport, where the flight nurse, in consultation with a Mercy Hospital Emergency Room Physician, pronounced Palmer’s death at 1710. The Coroner later determined the cause of death to be blood loss due to blunt force trauma to Palmer's left leg.

Medical Emergency, Medevac, Fatality, Falling Operation, Chainsaws