man cuts off own leg after tree pins him

[pokerfan]

Seems a little premature to me. That guy in Utah waited five days before he resorted to removing his arm with a pocket knife.


Placer County man cuts off own leg after tree pins him
By Kim Minugh - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 8:07 pm PDT Wednesday, June 6, 2007

In a remarkable feat of survival that is gaining widespread attention, a 66-year-old Iowa Hill man cut off his own leg after becoming pinned by a tree in remote Placer County.

Al Hill -- a longtime logger in the Iowa Hill area just east of Colfax -- reportedly was cutting trees near Big Dipper Mine on Friday when he became trapped, said the community's volunteer fire chief, Luana Dowling. Hill resorted to cutting off his left leg below the knee and was later found by an area resident, who was able to get help.

He remained there in serious condition Wednesday and was expected to stay admitted for some time, said hospital spokeswoman Robin Montgomery.

At some point, after the amputation, Hill's cries for help caught the attention of 31-year-old Eric Bookey, a new Iowa Hill resident.

Bookey helped Hill to a truck, and together they sped to an emergency clearing area. On the way they were joined by Dowling, who said she was alerted about the accident at 7:30 p.m.

Hill was conscious and talking before being airlifted to Sutter Roseville, Dowling said.

Dowling described Hill's suffering as an "all-day ordeal" that didn't result in medical attention until late in the evening.

[dweller]

1. Link?

b/c i want to ask the obvious question: why didn't he cut the tree off him?

i guess knowing what kind of saw he was using might explain it, but not at the same time make it more understandable...

dp

[bicentennial_baby]

2. I read yesterday that he used a pocket knife

Which would lead me to assume that his saw was not within reach at the time. :shrug:

[dweller]

4. damn,

i'd have dug a hole, or a trench, or a tunnel underneath my leg first.

using a knife, fingers, claws whatever.
dp

[pokerfan]

5. More details

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=28777

Logger Cuts Through His Own Leg to Free Himself
Written by George Warren, Reporter

A logger trapped by a fallen tree in Placer County used a pocket knife to cut through his left leg.

Albert Hill, 66, was trapped nearly 12 hours on Friday after a logging accident on Big Dipper Road in the isolated mountain community of Iowa Hill.

"He had a cell phone that couldn't get out and he started cutting his own leg off," said longtime friend Cathy Morgan.

Hill had nearly severed his leg by the time a prospector looking for gold nearby heard his cries for help.

"He was in a position where he could not move four inches. I mean he was stuck," said the prospector, who asked that his name not be used.

The prospector and another man were able to use Hill's chainsaw to remove the tree. A helicopter flew Hill to Sutter Roseville Medical Center where doctors completed the amputation below the left knee.

Hill declined an interview request from News10, but a friend said he's doing well.

"He's in good spirits, so that's the main thing," said Tanya Roberts.

[pokerfan]

3. D'oh!

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/208790.html