Tree cutter rescued by Gwinnett firefighters from atop a 75 ft tree Friday evening

(Snellville, Ga., April 2, 2021) – A tree cutter in Snellville has his feet firmly on the ground once again thanks to a specially trained crew of firefighters from Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services. According to a press release from GGFES, firefighters specially trained as high-angle rope rescue technicians were able to successfully rescued a tree cutter from atop a 75 ft tree Friday evening in Snellville. Crews were called to the scene at 6:52 p.m. to assist a man who had managed to get stranded as he was topping a tree behind a house on Periwinkle Drive SW.

“The first Engine to arrive at the scene began to immediately identify anchor points and established verbal communications with the victim. A neighbor was outside at the time and assisted emergency personnel by translating due to a language barrier. The Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team from Fire Station 24 created a rope system to attach to the uninjured man and lower him safely to the ground. Firefighter-EMT Brian Martin scaled the tree to make physical contact with the victim and prepared him for a controlled descent,” GCFER public information officer Capt. Tommy Rutledge wrote in the press release.

The man, with the assistance of the firefighters, reached the base of the tree at about 8:19 p.m. to the cheers of onlookers.

Paramedic Lt. Brant Keiser said this is the kind of scenario that personnel on the technical rescue team often train for, but very rarely get to perform. The crew were praised for their skill and bravery by Battalion-Paramedic Phillip Merck who served as the on-scene incident commander.

Get the full story in the live link from Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services Facebook Page.