Cat Rescuer Dies From Fall

In an effort to rescue a cat, a man died after he fell from the tree he had climbed trying to reach the helpless animal. He had gone up a ladder that he had leaned against the tree and then climbed several feet above the top rung. A branch bearing his weight broke, and he fell to the ground. The cat was eventually rescued by a company specializing in this type of work.

Well-meaning persons too often die in attempts to rescue fellow humans and even pets. In the industrial workplace, rescuers can outnumber the original victims in confined space incidents. Rescue work is dangerous, often involving fire, deep water, electrical or chemical hazards. Getting a victim down from a high location requires safely anchored fall protection equipment and safe procedures. Animal rescue also takes special skills and equipment, a fact many communities now recognize as they plan for natural disasters and other emergencies.