RSSOcoee Resident Dies After Fall While Trimming Tree
As Hurricane Dorian swings closer and closer to Florida, millions of people throughout the state have been putting tremendous time and energy into making their homes and properties as safe as possible. Included in this are activities such as boarding up windows, securing vehicles, and trimming up trees. It was this last activity specifically that killed a 55-year-old individual from Ocoee sometime during the evening of Monday, September 2nd.
The report from the Ocoee Battalion Fire Chief stated that the 55-year-old was at their home, located along Suzette Drive, and had decided that a certain tree needed to have some of its higher branches trimmed in preparation for the heavy winds and rain that were about to lash the area. Taking a chainsaw, the individual set about climbing about 15 feet up the tree. It was just as he was putting himself in position to cut certain branches that something happened to cause him to lose his balance and fall.
Reports from the scene indicated that the individual was not using a ladder at the time, meaning that they climbed 15 feet with a chainsaw and then had nothing to use as a support once they had reached the area where they intended on working.
It is not known who called the emergency response teams to the property, but it is believed that they arrived shortly after the individual fell from the tree. The man was still alive when the paramedics and EMTs reached him, but he had sustained fairly severe injuries as a result of the accident and was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the injuries that they sustained in the incident there was nothing that could be done for them once they reached the medical center, and they were declared dead sometime that same evening.
Following this incident, the Ocoee Battalion Fire Chief released as statement reminding people that there were professional crews available to come out to properties in order to help people prepare for the hurricane and that actions such as those taken by the 55-year-old above – and that tragically led to this individuals’ death – are not necessary.
Sources:
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.