On a cold February day, “Derek,” my groundie, stopped working and began complaining of stomach pains. The other climber and I were aloft pruning a massive pin oak. I told him he would be able to drive himself home in [...]

It was a perfect summer Saturday in Medford, Massachusetts, a small suburb just west of Boston. Steve Mauras, fire department district chief of neighboring Somerville, was driving by a municipal park while running errands. He glanced at the impressive oak [...]

Most arborists are aware of the Z133 American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations – Safety Requirements. This standard is our road map for safely navigating through the numerous hazards associated with arboricultural operations. It is a living standard, one that [...]

Aerial rescue is something we practice but hope to never have to use. Over the years, there have been many advances in climbing gadgets and different equipment used in the field, but aerial-rescue principles and processes have pretty much remained [...]

Is aerial rescue worth practicing? The obvious answer is, “Yes!” You are probably one of those climbers who’s practiced aerial rescue (AR) several times. You’ve practiced dumping a training dummy out of the basket of a bucket truck. You may [...]