Toms Mill Fire Hit by Tree 2017

On 12/9/2017 at approximately 1030 a contract firefighter from the PatRick 20B Crew was struck by the butt of a tree he was felling. The injured member (IM) was a Class B Sawyer and has four years of chainsaw experience. Work for the day started around 0730. The IM had already felled 10 trees that morning with no incidents. At the tree he did his normal size up including determination of primary and secondary escape routes and decided on the cutting techniques that he would be using. The IM then discussed his intended face cuts with his spotter and proceeded sawing. The IM called out loudly that he was starting his face cuts, then he had his spotter to clear away so he could start his back cuts. After finishing the back cut the IM yelled out that the tree was falling towards the road. The spotter and another coworker who was posted as the road guard saw the tree as it was falling it did a “Barber Chair” movement and struck the IM in his right side with the butt of the tree. Once the tree hit the ground it bounced back at the IM and struck him a second time.

Chainsaws, Medevac, Falling Operation, Hit by Tree