Palm Sunday

 With Charly Jordan:

Lovely things, palm trees, but surprisingly dangerous. At Bakersfield Now, Tree trimmer dies after being trapped under palm fronds in east Bakersfield. 

A tree trimmer died after being trapped under palm fronds in east Bakersfield late Thursday evening. The Kern County Fire Department said on Thursday afternoon at 4:37 p.m., Kern County firefighters responded to the 800 block of Plaza Street for a report of a victim trapped in a palm tree.

When firefighters arrived, crews found a tree trimmer pinned under palm fronds about 30 feet up in a tall palm tree.  KCFD said the victim had been unresponsive for about 30 minutes before firefighters got there.

Officials said the truck's 100-foot ladder fell just short of reaching the tree. KCFD said the only viable option was to send a rescuer up into the tree. Due to the technical nature of palm tree rescues, the Kern County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR-47) was requested.

KCFD said palm trees often develop what is known as a “skirt” of dried fronds, which grows larger over time. The fronds are sharp and their weight can become hazardous. The entire skirt can loosen and fall down the trunk, posing a significant risk to anyone in or near the tree.