Crews from several North County fire departments rescued a man trapped in a palm tree about 20 feet off the ground in Encinitas Wednesday morning.
Encinitas Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Ford said the tree rescue began just after 11 a.m. in the 1400 block of Eolus Avenue.
A tree trimmer was stuck in a palm after he was pinned underneath a large amount of dead fronds, Ford said. The man was unable to move as he waited for help from firefighters.
Fire department crews from Encinitas, Solana Beach and Carlsbad worked together to save the man. Using an aerial ladder truck, firefighters were able to reach the victim in the tree. They then began clearing the large, heavy fronds, eventually unpinning the victim.
During the rescue, Ford said the man was tied to the palm tree with rope and a safety belt so he wouldn’t fall. He was awake and alert during the rescue.
The trimmer, whose name was not released, suffered minor injuries and, once removed from the palm, was taken to Scripps La Jolla Trauma Center for evaluation. Ford said he is not sure for which company the victim works.
Ford said tree rescue are rare incidents for emergency responders, so quick, safe actions are essential. He said the careful work by firefighters across agencies resulted in a successful rescue.
