Local arborist shares the importance of safety when working on trees

TULSA, Okla. — On Monday, a Tulsa tree trimmer died from his injuries after being electrocuted near South Utica Avenue and East 41st Street.

A witness told FOX23 the man was trimming a tree when the power jumped to him from a nearby line.

"It happens faster than you know it. Unfortunately, it's when you don't see it coming and you're working at a regular pace, moving through a job site that something will happen," said Jake Emanuel.

Emanuel is a certified arborist who owns and operates Trees By Jake, a local business that offers 24-hour emergency tree services, with his wife Allison.

According to Emanuel, accidents like this can happen within seconds.

Allison told FOX23 education and training are the best ways to decrease the chance of accident or injury.

"We definitely caution homeowners, especially when a tree is on a house or a tree that's threatening a home, to verify the credentials of the company that they're hiring," said Allison. "Our crews are EHAP certified, which stands for Electrical Hazard Awareness Program. That means the crews have enough knowledge to work with a distance of electrical wires."

Trees By Jake said it's important not to go on any job site alone. You should always have a spotter in case of an emergency.