The Piney Volunteer Fire Department and other local fire departments took their training to new heights over the weekend by practicing rescuing people stuck in trees or tree stands.
Piney Volunteer Fire Department Public Information Officer Tiwanna Bricker said the fire department got inspiration to host the training after attending a training in September. Bricker said being stuck in a tree or a tree stand is one of many things that the public may not think about.
“It’s one of those things that you don’t think about needing it until it’s there,” Bricker said. “But it’s better to be prepared so that you know the techniques and have the equipment available to do rescues, such as someone in a tree.”
Bricker said firefighters use tree gaffs and a rope system to lift and then slowly lower the individual to the ground. Bricker said she has not seen many instances in Van Buren County where an individual was stuck in a tree or tree stand.
“We’ve had two that have fallen out of tree stands, but they were on the ground,” Bricker said. “It’s more of just in case it ever happens, but we have now responded to two of the hang gliders and paragliders trapped in a tree (In Dunlap), so we do know the same techniques would work to rescue them as well.”
Bricker said some people who are stuck may be enticed to jump. Bricker said she recommends waiting for help, as jumping is dangerous.
“It depends on how high in the tree you are,” Briker said. “For the EMS side of things, anything greater than 10 feet we consider a high fall and a enough mechanism that can create significant injury. So we wouldn’t recommend anybody jumping greater than 10 feet for sure. But there are also dangers, like if they got hung upside down or their leg got trapped in the tree stand in some way that could impede blood flow, then you are at risk for clots or crush syndrome.”
Bricker said it is good to have some sort of communication device, like a cell phone, that can be used to call for help should you ever get stuck in a tree or tree stand. Bricker said hunters should let someone know where they are going hunting in case they get stuck and have no communication device.
Bricker said attaching yourself to a tree using a fall arrest system will prevent you from falling out of the tree.
Central View Volunteer Fire Department, Doyle Volunteer Fire Department, Dunlap Fire Department, and Sequatchie County Rescue Squad participated in the training.
