Volusia County Fire Training Incident 2007

The Volusia County Fire Department's special operations team for wildland fire operations--called the "Fire Walkers"--was conducting its monthly drill, with 14 career team members in attendance at the fire department's training site. The drill consisted of a refresher course for qualified operators culminating with the felling of three dead trees on the property. When the Sawyer began making his cuts to fell the tree, he and the Swamper were the only two people in close proximity to the tree. The tree turned counter-clockwise as it began to fall, causing the tree to move 135 degrees away from its intended fall. The Swamper left the Sawyer at the base of the tree and ran down the designated escape route, which ended up being the direction of the tree's fall. As the Swamper reached the end of the escape route, he was struck by the tree trunk and killed. 

Training, Fatality, Falling Operation, Hit by Tree