Holyoak Accident 2001

On June 12, 2001, four individuals were working on a spruce beetle suppression project in the North Creek drainage of the Abajo Mountains, Monticello Ranger District, Manti-La Sal National Forest. They were re-burning Engelmann spruce trap trees that were infested with spruce bark beetles. Mike picked up one of the backpack pumps and hiked about 30 feet above one of the burned trees and proceeded to wet down a small spot. There was a 45-feet-high dead spruce snag with a 13-inch diameter standing next to the burned trap tree. The fire had spread to the base of this snag. It was leaning uphill. There was still some smoke drifting uphill that may have made it hard for Mike to see the snag falling. Mike began to turn and was struck across the head by the snag. It dislodged his hardhat, slid across his right arm, and knocked him to the ground. When the others reached Mike he was unconscious, but breathing. He awoke in about 30 seconds and complained of pain in his neck and right arm. He was disoriented. The supervisor immediately called for medical help through the Moab Interagency Fire Center. The Monticello ambulance was dispatched.

Mike was transported to the hospital in Monticello, Utah (total time from the accident to the hospital was about 3 hours) and later flown to the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, New Mexico. It was determined that he had a broken neck (a vertical break of one vertebrae), but there was no evident spinal nerve damage. The hardhat had saved his life. He was released from the hospital and sent home two days later. He will be wearing a neck brace for 6-12 weeks. He was fortunate to have no damage to the spinal cord. His neck was still in alignment following the accident and no surgery was needed.

Hit by Tree