Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:19:22 -0500
From: Al Cooke
Subject: Watch out for falling trees
I’ve just received the most recent warning from Chatham County offices
http://www.chathamnc.org/index.aspx?recordid=1635&page=19
about safety issues related to the predicted winter weather we’re all preparing for. Some good suggestions there and I commend it to your attention. One of the items mentioned is the potential for downed trees on power lines and blocking roads.
This is the worst possible situation for using a chainsaw. Many of us think we know how to use one. But when trees fall, there are many more safety issues to consider. First of course is whether a “hot” electric line is involved. None of us needs to go there.
Another consideration is to keep an eye out for what is overhead. Trees and limbs often get caught part way down and need only a minor shift to continue falling. Don’t be under one of those.
When you finally get to the tangle of limbs and trunks on the ground, chances are good that most of them are caught up under some tension. When you saw into that limb under tension, it’s a good idea if you know which way it’s going to snap. If you don’t know, it could break your leg or take off your ear. If you don’t know, stay away.
And among the tangle of things on the ground, always leave yourself at least one, preferably more than one escape route. If you need to get out of the way quickly, you don’t want to trip over a tangle of limbs with things falling all around.
In short, clearing fallen trees and limbs is work that needs to be done with considered deliberation. Chainsaw accidents are not pretty and are usually much worse than the problem they were set up against. Don’t be in a hurry. And if you don’t have training and experience for the situation, wait for someone who does.
I agree with Tony Tucker, director of Emergency Management for Chatham County. We mostly need to get where we’re going early this evening and plan to stay there for a while.
Be careful.
alcooke
Al Cooke
Extension Agent, Horticulture
Chatham County Center
N.C. Cooperative Extension
PO Box 279, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.542-8202; Fax 919.542.8246
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/staff/acooke/home.html