Air Ambulance Responding After Man Struck With Tree Near Laytonville
Reach Air Ambulance [Photo used with permission from Southern Trinity Area Rescue]
According to initial reports, the man was struck by the falling treetop while in a remote area which is making access challenging. Local emergency personnel have arrived on the scene and assessed the man’s condition. Due to the severity of his injuries and the difficult terrain, it was determined that air evacuation would be the most effective way to transport him to a medical facility.
The path of Reach helicopter circling the area. [Screenshot of FlightRadar]
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I wish him well; thanks to all the first responders!
MY prayers are for him and his family
Was he in the tree topping it , or was it a wind fall?
The wind blew strongly in Benbow yesterday. I asked my wife to come inside the house. I have personally seen too many windfall injuries and even one death. Wind is the one weather thing that bothers me the most.
A small, short 1″ branch can be fatal if it strikes the skull. Let’s pray for the victim.
I was there when this accident happened. We were taking down a dead chichapin oak tree and halfway down, a dead portion of the treetop flew backwards towards the stump and struck Brian Hawes. Unfortunately, he died of head injuries agout 3 hour later. Brian has no family, but I spoke to his ex-wife who lives in Georgia with his son and daughter.
It was a terrible experience to see your friend get injured and die in front of you.
The lesson I learned today is to always wear head protection when taking down a tree. Brian was not wearing any head protection.
Brain buckets are indeed essential – along with a spotter outfitted with a lifeguard whistle. Have the spotter stand where they are out of the way of the tree being cut. That will not only protect them, but also give them a clear view of the top of the tree being cut as well as the tops of the other trees in the vicinity. I can hear that whistle through the highest quality earplugs and the roar of my largest saw. That method has saved my bacon multiple times. It’s common for the tops of dead trees to break and fall backwards as described. Also for the branches of surrounding trees to get spring loaded as the felled tree falls through them, then break off as they spring back and fly back towards the stump like javelins. Keep watching the canopy until everything stops shaking.
RIP.
He also has a mother in Georgia. He was very happy to be back on talking terms with her these last couple years…after so many years of estrangement. He was very careful to keep this tenuous relationship alive now that he had it back. It was as important for him as was his relationship with Raven and Grady whom he loved dearly…I’m just stunned and heartbroken. Have fallen many trees with him and he taught me how to mill them up, stack the lumber, build cabins from them…
Peace to you and all who knew him.
How tragic. There are lots of ways to get hurt while logging. This is only one of them. God bless those who have the courage to go out to work in the woods. Condolences to all.
I can’t even count how many branches I’ve seen stuck in the ground that I thought were trees at first glance. Some redwood and fir branches 4-6″ in diameter stuck 3-4′ in the ground ?