Tequila-swilling tree trimmer gets stuck 40 feet off ground

Firefighters tend to a tree trimmer after he was rescued from a eucalyptus tree in Brentwood.

An allegedly intoxicated tree trimmer dangled 40 feet off the ground for nearly two hours Monday evening before rescuers were able to get him down from a eucalyptus tree in a heavily wooded residential area of Brentwood.

"We were concerned about his condition because he seemed lethargic, and once we got him down, we found that he had consumed a significant amount of alcohol from a bottle of tequila that he had in his work belt with him," said Battalion Chief Brian Schultz of the City of Los Angeles Fire Department.

The worker, whose name was not released, was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for possible trauma, Schultz said. The man’s condition was not known late Monday.

For more, visit NBCLosAngeles.com

It also wasn’t clear how the man, who had been hired as part of a crew to trim trees on the property, managed to get stuck in the tree long after his colleagues had left for the day.

About an hour after the crew packed up and left, the homeowner’s gardener noticed there was someone in their eucalyptus tree.

"So we surmised that the rest of the crew left and he either was on the ground and decided to ascend back up into the tree by himself – given his state, that’s a possibility – or it’s possible that he was up in the tree and he wouldn’t come down and the rest of the crew left," Schultz said. "We really don’t know at this point."

Rescue crews made "a couple of unsuccessful first tries" to get a ladder into the tree, which was surrounded by heavy brush and on an incline, Schultz said.

When they finally made it to the man, they discovered he’d been hanging by a harness that had slipped from around his waist to underneath his arms. The worker was wearing climbing spikes but, hanging by his chest, was unable to get his footing, Schultz said.

They also found a half-full bottle of Camarena Tequila tucked into the man's work belt. Schultz said the tree trimmer appeared to be intoxicated and was telling crews that he was tired.

Firefighters received the call about 5:45 p.m that someone was stuck in a tree in the 11800 block of West Kearsarge St. By 7:45 p.m., the man had been safely taken down.

Thirty-two firefighters responded to the scene and used ropes, a harness and 35-foot ladders to rescue the tree trimmer, according to Erik Scott with LAFD.

Discuss this post

I'd be tired too hanging there for 2 hours. <<<hiccup>>>

  • 2 votes
#1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:33 AM EST

he was hanging there for well over 2 hours presumably lisa, but what's shocking about this is how it took the fire department a little under two hours to get one mexican out of a tree after the arrived on scene. What's so hard about getting a ladder up to him and repelling him down when you have friggin' 32 safety workers on scene? Also great class act to the rest of his co-workers just leaving him there when they knew that he could easily get himself hurt, killed, or arrested for numerous offenses. Just a real heart-warming story all around.

  • 1 vote
#1.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:37 AM EST

It's hard to build meaningful work relationships when you are being picked up for work at the local Home Depot parking lot.

  • 8 votes
#1.2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:40 AM EST

yes, blame the crew for this idiot getting drunk and then getting stuck in a tree. class act? they were way more classy than this guy and probably have had to deal with this guy doing stupid stuff before.

  • 6 votes
#1.3 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:42 AM EST
Comment author avatarLitterHaterExpand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

uh it doesn't take any idiot with a hammer to trima 40 foot tall Eucalyptus tree, it takes a professional with advanced knowledge and proven physical dexterity to work on a project as complex as this so obviously the home depot line-up wasn't where these workers came from but how would you know since the only thing you do to contribute to landsscaping is throw non-biodegradable cigareete-butts out of the window of your '93 nisssan ultima on your way to pick up your welfare-babies from the government paid-for daycare you goon.

  • 3 votes
#1.4 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:45 AM EST
Comment author avatarLitterHaterExpand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

you don't know why this man was drunk so don't even put this on him you moron. I've known lots of people who clean out and then refill empty handles of vodka with water and gatorade and other hydrating fluids like that because they can't afford waterbottles and maybe one of these terrible co-workers slipped some sort of pill into the drink while he was up in the tree and he later ran up there to protect hismelf from them since they obviously had mal-intent. The sotry also says that he appeared drunk not taht he actually was so maybe he was dealing with heat stroke or a traumatic-emotional event in his life or something like that. don't be so quick to blame the victim here when all of the details aren't known.

  • 2 votes
#1.5 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:49 AM EST

Anyone know where to get one of these special work belts that have a special loop or pocket to properly safeguard a bottle of tequila. I am only interested in those that have a specially lined cold pocket in which to keep the lime wedges and the smaller utility loop for the salt shaker.

  • 9 votes
#1.6 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:51 AM EST

There is not a shortage of Mexican tree trimmers and the fire department was probably laying down bets on the time&spot Manual Labor would fall. Wrap it up boys, her comes the media trucks, look busy already.......

Litterhater, stfu, this is 2+2=4. What liberal idiotic drool you spew.

  • 11 votes
#1.7 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:00 PM EST

Seems like a really, really bad combination of tequila and tree trimming. Lots of possibilities for unintentional mayhem, like decapitation, amputation of the wrong limb, of plain old slip and splat.

  • 5 votes
#1.8 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:04 PM EST

Glad it was not weed related.

    #1.9 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:14 PM EST

    Ha, ha. Illegals are funny...

    • 7 votes
    #1.10 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:33 PM EST

    Whereas LitterHater is an unfunny douche bag, with paranoid delusions and hallucinations. He should have been left up a tree instead of that drunken moron.

    • 4 votes
    #1.11 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:03 PM EST
    Comment author avatarLitterHaterExpand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

    oh so now people who acctually read the articles and then post content gauged at increasing understanding of the issues involved are considered "douchebags" with dellusions? Yeah that sounds fair and is spoken like a true privvilledged sissy-boy who has never climbed a tree or been poisoned once in his whole cushy life.

    • 1 vote
    #1.12 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:21 PM EST

    litter, if we can't be quick to blame the guy who had tequila why did you feel so righteous in quicly blaming the crew? hypocrite moron.

    • 5 votes
    #1.13 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:22 PM EST

    I would of just cut the tree down. That would save the taxpayers a heap of money considering he is more than likely in the country illegally.

    • 2 votes
    #1.14 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:33 PM EST

    where I'm from it's a whole lot easier to bully as a majority than as a minority so when I hear that a group of people drugged someone and stranded that guy 40 feet up in a tree it becomes easy for anyone to see who's at fault in that situation. I just hope that they're caught and put into the jail before anyone else is similarly victimizzed.

    • 1 vote
    #1.15 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:36 PM EST

    Wow LitterHater I hope you are just trolling and not that paranoid.

    • 3 votes
    #1.16 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:43 PM EST

    the only one trollling is you joe because you're contributing literally nothing of substence to the discussion about the injustice that so many of you airheads seem to be callassed too because of the rampant racism that goes on in this industry day after friggin' day and the fact that men who would leave someone 40 feet above the ground with a harnass digging into his sides and drugs flowing through his already strained veins is rediculous and all too common in todays society where attempted murder is just seen as a trivial occurance.

    • 2 votes
    #1.17 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:52 PM EST

    Personally speaking as a rare drinker (maybe 2 or 3 times a year), I would have left his drunk a$$ up in the tree too. Who likes being sober around a drunk? And litterhater, why not save an old soda bottle or water bottle or buy a re-usable thermos? If you have enough money for liquor you have enough money for a thermos to carry your NON-alcoholic beverages in. Re-using a liquor bottle is foolish at best, any one ever heard of no open containers in a vehicle? And heat stoke? Really? I don't know what the weather was like yesterday, but the weather channel says it's 65 today. I think that for whatever reason this story hits too close to home, and yeah, I'm gonna blame the drunk guy for being drunk.

    • 2 votes
    #1.18 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:54 PM EST

    Litter you were the first to call him a mexican. Sounds bigoted to me. The article says nothing about drugs. As you love to say "read the article"

    • 3 votes
    #1.19 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:06 PM EST

    litter-substence? rediculous? hookt onn phonickz werkd four yu!

    • 1 vote
    #1.20 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:09 PM EST

    oh yeah I forgot that you were given this man's toxicology report that proved that he was drunk annon, my bad. Genius conclussion-jumpers like you are pathetic stop gropping the liberal package and see the facts for what they are.

      #1.21 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:14 PM EST

      joe you can see from the picture that the victim is of hispanic-descent and it says that he appeared to be under the influence of some toxic substance. I did read the article, about four times in fact so don't f with me about this issue until you actually read the article for the first time yourself idiot.

        #1.22 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:24 PM EST

        Yea, I jumped to some conclusions...

        "We were concerned about his condition because he seemed lethargic, and once we got him down, we found that he had consumed a significant amount of alcohol from a bottle of tequila that he had in his work belt with him," said Battalion Chief Brian Schultz of the City of Los Angeles Fire Department.

        Now for what you wrote...

        where I'm from it's a whole lot easier to bully as a majority than as a minority so when I hear that a group of people drugged someone and stranded that guy 40 feet up in a tree it becomes easy for anyone to see who's at fault in that situation. I just hope that they're caught and put into the jail before anyone else is similarly victimizzed.

        Ya know, I re-read but couldn't find a spot that said anything about the guy being drugged, and I'm the conclusion jumper. At least mine is way more plausible.

        P.S. if you right click on a word you're not sure how to spell or get that funny little red line, it will show you spell check.


        • 2 votes
        #1.23 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:25 PM EST

        Personal attacks are not allowed on this site.

          #1.24 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:25 PM EST

          neither is ignorance joe but somehow you slipped through anyway. And annon they didn't personally see him consume any alcohol so they began by jumping to conclusions from the start and you just followed them along the speculation-trail.

          • 1 vote
          #1.25 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:30 PM EST

          The TOS say nothing about ignorance I read them have you?

            #1.26 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:35 PM EST

            LitterHater Comment collapsed by the community

            uh it doesn't take any idiot with a hammer to trima 40 foot tall Eucalyptus tree, it takes a professional with advanced knowledge and proven physical dexterity

            Agreed. People with less training and physical dexterity have to settle for trimming trees with a saw.

            • 1 vote
            #1.27 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:37 PM EST

            And really, how have you NOT jumped to conclusions about the speculation on him being drugged? I just really don't understand your logic of blaming others for doing exactly the same thing you're doing, speculating. I'm gonna trust the word of someone who was there rescuing the man and not the person online who wasn't there, or were you the one up in that tree?

            • 1 vote
            #1.28 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:37 PM EST

            I'm married what the helll would I be climbing trees for? And I'm not speculating I'm just taking the evidence that is presented here and mappping what logically occurred from there whereas you're going beyond what the article says and inserting what you want to believe despite there being nothign to support those misguided beliefs.

            • 1 vote
            #1.29 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:43 PM EST

            What on Earth does being married have to do with anything? You know what, I am too. How do you logically come to "he was drugged"? My speculation "he was drunk" came from the article and what the rescue workers had to say.

            • 1 vote
            #1.30 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:45 PM EST

            he went to the site as part of a professional landscaping team and since he was the one at the highest places doing the msot complex work he wasw obviously the most hardworking and talented member of the crew so when they took a break for lunch the rest of the people who were jealous about how good he was and how likely he was to get promotted ahead of them poisoned his drinking container and then when he was back up on the tree he got thirsty and drank the whole thing in one slug and then was instantly hit by the effects of the drug before he could scurry back down the tree and only by luck his belt got snarred in one of the pulleys and he dangled there helpless and still in danger until the authorities came and in the meantime the rest of the workers fled realizing that their plot had failed and went to go hide themselves or whatever the shaddy criminall-element like them do after they fail to kill someone and know that they'll be hunted down for it. that's way more likely based on what's said in the article then the guy decided to get drunk 40 feet up for no reason and the crew forgot to look for him before they left the scene don't you think? and yeah but i'm proudly married whereas you begrugingly say it and only when forced basically.

            • 1 vote
            #1.31 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:54 PM EST

            Time to stop feeding the trolls. Litter I think I have a shiny new hat for you, it will block out the government mind control rays. Anyone else wonder if Litter is a crazy cat lady?

            • 2 votes
            #1.32 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:01 PM EST

            Sure there, though I must admit, you'd make an alright novelist, so long as you stuck to fiction. I'm not begrudgingly married, I just don't feel the need to mention it when it's not relevant. I'm sure there are plenty of married tree trimmers. I guess I just don't follow your logic and am not gonna continue on any further with this debate. You will believe that he was in a conspiracy perpetrated by his co-workers and I will believe that he created his own mess through his own actions. It's okay that we have differences of opinion on this, we will have to agree to disagree. Have a nice day and enjoy your spouse.

            • 1 vote
            #1.33 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:03 PM EST

            you as well annon and I hope that you are staying true to all of your new yearss's resolutions.

            • 1 vote
            #1.34 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:12 PM EST

            They should send this drunken idiot a bill for the cost of getting him down out of the tree. It is one thing when the fire department has to rescue someone who gets in trouble because of an accident. It is an entirely different matter when the problem is caused by the person who got in trouble. He should be forced to foot the bill and also should be charged with being drunk on public and whatever else they can think of. This level of pure stupidity needs to be discouraged and fines/convictions are one way to do it.

            • 3 votes
            #1.35 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:13 PM EST

            WTF?? I got in here at the end. Litterbox man, you are way out there and should have to read every line of the stupid crap you wrote. A Mexican got drunk on Tequila in a tree?? That has been happening since the Mayans, get over yourself douche.......................

            • 2 votes
            #1.36 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:15 PM EST

            I don't make them so I can't break them, but thanks anyway.

            • 1 vote
            #1.37 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:22 PM EST

            Maybe he didn't want to climb down for lunch.

            • 2 votes
            #1.38 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:59 PM EST

            He drank his lunch

            • 2 votes
            #1.39 - Wed Jan 9, 2013 1:05 AM EST

            pick up your welfare-babies from the government paid-for daycare you goon.

            litterhater, you are suspended for a day for violating rule # 1 of the Code of Honor.

            Above all else, respect others. Address issues and arguments and refrain from making personal attacks.

            • 2 votes
            #1.40 - Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:28 PM EST
            Reply

            This won't look good on his next job application. Curious the story mentioned the brand of tequila. Is that a recommendation? I agree with HATR HURTER above, maybe they left him up there to get rid of him. Carrying a BOTTLE of booze on the job? I wouldn't want to be around you either. Too dangerous.....and TREE TRIMMING? Usually involves sharp objects and electric saws.

            • 1 vote
            Reply#2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:42 AM EST

            Next time you're doing some tree trimming you'll know which tequila goes best.

            What I want to know is if it goes w/ all landscaping, or just tree trimming. Before we know it, it'll be the weekend again, people need to know.

            • 1 vote
            #2.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:47 AM EST

            Dammit Bizzer, when you're right, you're right. I certainly would not want to be shunned by my co-workers by having the wrong beverage de jour. Heavens to Betsy....

            • 1 vote
            #2.2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:55 AM EST

            So I just had to seek out more info on this article. I found nothing about the mans race but it did add an interesting detail that with just a hint of speculation answers the question why he was up in the tree. Apparently, he was hanging there with his pants around his ankles and his shirt entirely gone. My guess is that he had to pee really bad and didn't want anyone on the ground to see him so he took off his shirt so it would not get soiled, dropped trow and hoisted himself up in the tree so he could relieve himself in private. In an effort to achieve economy of motion he knew, as he was drinking, that he would need to pee again so he brought his bottle and decided to hang out until his bladder called again. Then what do you know his harness slips and he is stuck. Not wanting to disturb his own buzz he decided he could just continue to drink until someone came along and noticed him hanging about for happy hour.

              #2.3 - Wed Jan 9, 2013 10:09 AM EST
              Reply

              He probably wasn't stuck to begin with, just drunk.....(half bottle left....daytime....TRIMMING TREES?...I would have left him alone too.

              • 2 votes
              Reply#3 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:48 AM EST

              I have a friend whose dad works at the liquor store and he said that the early morning hours are his busiest b/c of so many stopping by to get their nip for the day.

                #3.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:57 PM EST
                Reply

                Tequila has made me climb trees before ....but I never thought about trimming my way down .....hmmmmm

                • 2 votes
                Reply#4 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 11:48 AM EST

                I'm kind of surprised he wasn't naked. I would certainly have expected it, given that brand of Tequila!

                By the way, LitterHater, just exactly what do you hate about your cats poop box, the smell or the taste? I hear it's not too bad if you mix it with tequila!

                • 1 vote
                Reply#5 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:18 PM EST

                He tried that.

                  #5.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:04 PM EST

                  Cats should be going to the bathroom outside where they naturally belong to begin with but that's nopt what my nname refers to you moron it's talking about how fools like you throw their hip-hop happy-meal boxes wherever the f you feel like and how it's killing our earth and society.

                    #5.2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:26 PM EST

                    LitterHater- I just tossed a Styrofoam mcdonalds container in a birds nest. Hope it makes you cry

                    • 2 votes
                    #5.3 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:37 PM EST

                    I hope that you enjoy your thousand dollar fine and community service joe, stupid idiot tough guys like you are what's dragging this country down one ecological travesty after the other.

                      #5.4 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:45 PM EST

                      oops forgot to cut that six pack holder before I tossed it in the stream. Hope the birds and turtles are ok.

                      • 3 votes
                      #5.5 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:48 PM EST
                      Reply

                      Where does it say in the article he is Mexican? Could be he is Canadian or Jamaican and likes tequilla. These forums crack me up and keep my day full of laughter.

                        Reply#6 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:19 PM EST

                        When's the last time you saw a Canadian or Jamaican tree trimmer in California?

                        • 2 votes
                        #6.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:04 PM EST
                        Reply

                        Was he drunk before he got stuck or after? The article is somewhat confusing. Maybe h got drunk because he got stuck.

                        Either way it's "Way to go buddies" for simply leaving him there.

                          Reply#7 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:38 PM EST

                          I don't have any problem with leaving him there. Maybe he'll learn his lesson, although I doubt it.

                            #7.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:05 PM EST

                            optyslt, thank you for actually reading the article and seeing what most liekly happened here, some idiots like that guy commenting right below you still haven't done that and are just spouting off on racist diatribes that border on crimimally- offensive.

                              #7.2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:43 PM EST
                              Reply

                              A treetotaler.

                              • 3 votes
                              Reply#8 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:39 PM EST

                              john thats funny. My guess is the rest of the crew was drunk also and got the hell out of there before anybody noticed. The guy in the tree was just colateral damage.

                                #8.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:50 PM EST
                                Reply

                                Smatterfyou??? He was just looking for his lost shaker of salt....

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#9 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:44 PM EST

                                32 yrs a bride

                                Wonder where he kept the blender?

                                "... theres booze in the blender.... and soon ever..."

                                  #9.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:53 PM EST

                                  Damn! Maybe that's where I left it.

                                  Gotta go y'all - there are trees to be searched!

                                    #9.2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:54 PM EST

                                    Now you're just monkeying around. :-)

                                      #9.3 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:47 PM EST
                                      Reply

                                      Stupid on many levels.

                                        Reply#10 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 12:51 PM EST

                                        Potential Darwin, if he hung around a while longer.

                                          #10.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:06 PM EST
                                          Reply

                                          Thirty-two firefighters responded to the scene and used ropes, a harness and 35-foot ladders to rescue the tree trimmer, according to Erik Scott with LAFD.

                                          Wow just wow. That seems like much

                                          • 1 vote
                                          Reply#11 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:06 PM EST

                                          My thoughts, they just kept calling in more fire fighters to laugh at the guy or place bets.

                                          • 1 vote
                                          #11.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:00 PM EST
                                          Reply

                                          another classic waste of time and resourses saving a "possible" illegal day worker.

                                          • 1 vote
                                          Reply#12 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:08 PM EST

                                          MIKE-679507

                                          another classic waste of time and resourses saving a "possible" illegal day worker.^^

                                          ^^^this comment was brought to you by a "possible" child molester.

                                            #12.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:26 PM EST
                                            Reply

                                            Only 32 fire fighters Eh!!!!

                                              Reply#13 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:28 PM EST

                                              The tree-trimming company should pay for the rescue operations.

                                              • 2 votes
                                              Reply#14 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:29 PM EST

                                              If he was drinking Patron or some other good tequila, it would have been a different story!

                                              • 1 vote
                                              Reply#15 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:34 PM EST

                                              Drinking on the job as a tree climber and trimmer? If it is possible to die hanging upside down overnight, then is this a suicide attempt?

                                                Reply#16 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:44 PM EST

                                                This could have had a horrible outcome, I am glad he is okay, but in light of everything else going on right now, it was sort of funny.

                                                  Reply#17 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:48 PM EST

                                                  yeah elizabeth attmpted murder is funnny, I really hope that you don't have any kids or else the already rediculous homicide rate in this country is about to get even higher as soon as they hit their adult years.

                                                    #17.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:55 PM EST

                                                    LitterHater

                                                    Go play with the "pearls" you find in the litter box. Your comments come from a person who has dug himself into a hole .... and just keeps right on digging deeper. Oh yeah just remember that those rabbit "pellets" you eat are not m&m s.

                                                      #17.2 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:03 PM EST

                                                      litter hater

                                                      How on earth on you reading attempted murder into this...you need to get your ass out of the box with Super Scoop in it.

                                                      • 1 vote
                                                      #17.3 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:07 PM EST

                                                      well let's see someone is drugged and then left 40 feet above the ground with the only thing keeping them from falling being a small discount leather-substitute tool-belt and then after the suspects flee the scene they make no attempt to let anyone know of the man's whereabouts until luckily a senior citizzen sitting on their back porch spots the man and calls the authrotieis who nearly screw up the rescue effort becuase of their lack of empathy. You're right there is a little more than attempted murder going on here most likely but let's just sticck with the facts as they currently stand.

                                                        #17.4 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:21 PM EST

                                                        authrotieis is spelled authorities....citizzen is spelled citizen sticck is spelled stick...how old are you ???you spell as if you are not out of grammar school ....you are so self rightious...are you okay??? you aren't nipping at the scotch are you? If you are please do not climb any trees, we can only handle one of these rescues a week.

                                                        • 2 votes
                                                        #17.5 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:43 PM EST

                                                        Litter, If you're going to "stick with the facts", then possibly you need to reread the article as it was not a "senior citizen sitting on their back porch" who spotted the man; it was the gardener. Also the eucalyptus trees and underbrush were quite thick, making rescue more difficult. How do you know that the delay had to do with lack of empathy? The rescue workers showed up in force; it took time to get the guy out of the tree. There is no mention of his ethnicity, no mention of the quality of his work belt, nor of any lack of empathy. The Battalion Chief even mentioned that they were concerned as he seemed lethargic. I think you might want to double check your facts before commenting.

                                                        • 1 vote
                                                        #17.6 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:53 PM EST

                                                        it's spelt not "spelled" elizabeth, you'd think that with your four PhDs you'd knowat least that much but obviosuly that's too much too hoppe for. And I've never drank a thing of alcohols in my damn life and I'm proud of it so don't come at me with that evangelicall tirade like you usally do becuase unlike your girly-man of a husband i won't let you just walk away assumming that you're always right.

                                                          #17.7 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:58 PM EST

                                                          monta, it's called being able to make logcail assumpotions from the content of the article unlike you who needs everything spooon-fed to you in order for you to understand it. The underbrush was not thick either as they had already cleared it out the thursday and friday before in order to get in an easier and safer position to get the main job done with on monday so the two-hour rescue time is simply unacceptable when their ladders reach far beyond that and this man could have fallen to his death or had his internal organs quit because of the poisionat any second.

                                                            #17.8 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:02 PM EST

                                                            I'm starting to believe more and more that since it wasn't you, it was your husband.

                                                              #17.9 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:06 PM EST

                                                              Litter, You were the one who wanted to "stick to the facts" so that's what I did. As I'm not currently in LA, the only information I have is this article which nowhere states that this job was begun on Thursday and Friday. Also, there has never been any mention of poison, so why keep beating that dead horse? Finally, both you and Elizabeth are correct about "spelled" and "spelt", although "spelled" is the preferred spelling. I do wonder why you feel a need to make all sorts of assumptions about people who disagree with you; it makes for an unpleasant discussion.

                                                                #17.10 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:22 PM EST
                                                                Reply

                                                                A bottle of tequila in his utility belt???!!! "Quick Robin, the lime and salt"

                                                                  Reply#18 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:58 PM EST

                                                                  A gun could have saved the tax payers a lot of money with this guy...just shoot a couple of rounds in his direction...and that bad boy would have taken most of the bark off that tree getting on the ground...

                                                                  • 3 votes
                                                                  Reply#19 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 1:58 PM EST

                                                                  Litterhater you sound so bitter. Maybe you should get a little action

                                                                    Reply#20 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:27 PM EST

                                                                    punching ignorance right in its facce is enough action for me how about you take your own advice and stop derailling this topic please.

                                                                      #20.1 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:39 PM EST
                                                                      Reply

                                                                      "Thirty-two firefighters responded to the scene and used ropes, a harness and 35-foot ladderS"....Wow, Even on a slow day there should never be that many firefighters.

                                                                        Reply#21 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:33 PM EST

                                                                        It would take more than 1 bottle of tequila to get me 40' up a tree. Probably one of those idiots from the tv show "Ax Men"

                                                                          Reply#22 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:37 PM EST

                                                                          I'm surprised LA didn't put the guy in prison for hacking on a tree...of course if he was a minority that wouldn't do at all...and if he was an illegal minority that damn sure wouldn't be popular...

                                                                            Reply#23 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 2:42 PM EST

                                                                            Luckily for every one of us, stupid isn't illegal.

                                                                              Reply#24 - Tue Jan 8, 2013 3:15 PM EST

                                                                              Drunk on Mescal and trimmin trees. Proves the theory,Trees are hazardous to your Health...Califas Logic...

                                                                                Reply#26 - Thu Jan 10, 2013 11:38 AM EST
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