EDITOR'S NOTE Sleeping With One Eye Open
Dear Readers,
It’s hard to believe that the wildfires that ravaged the island of Maui in Hawaii happened just a few short months ago in August. I'll be the first to admit that I quickly became desensitized to this horrific event. In my defense, I was barely able to process what had hap- pened before I was distracted by Tropical Storm Hilary, an almost-hurricane that narrowly missed California (but pum-
On the cover: Tree care business owners have a lot to consider when it comes to adding a 100,000-pound crane to their equipment lineup.
Photo by Richard May ISSUE 5, FALL 2023
Millicent Skiles, Editor
meled northern Mexico.) Then, a recent fire close near my son’s school reminded me that fire season was about to start in Northern California where we live. With so much going on weather-wise these days, there's a lot to process, and I admit I don’t always know where to look. Recently, the county of Maui filed a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, claiming the utility company didn’t power down electrical equipment aer a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning was issued on Aug. 7. Downed power lines were fully energized and quickly ignited the surrounding dry grass and brush that had been allowed to proliferate.
PUBLISHER Sachin Mohan: Mohan@ArborTimes.org EDITOR Millicent Skiles: editor@ArborTimes.org TECH DIRECTOR Richard May: info@ArborTimes.org SAFETY AND TRAINING ADVISORS Ken Palmer Jared Abrojena SENIOR ADVISORS Dane Buell Mark Garvin PRODUCED BY EDGE AHEAD ASSOCIATES For editorial and advertising inquiries: 1 Store Hill Rd, PO BOX # 334 Old Westbury, NY 11568 Tel. (516) 399-2627 Email: Mohan@ArborTimes.org Web: ArborTimes.org No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. All uncredited photography is either supplied or sourced from a stock image bank.
What these unfortunate plaintiffs are about to go through has striking similarities to what my hus- band and I experienced when we lost a property to the 2017 Tubb’s Fire in Northern California. Six years later, we are only now receiving restitu- tion from the lawsuit filed against Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
There were times during this process when I complained that everything was taking too long. But then I realized it was because the trustees assigned to oversee payouts were prioritizing families who had lost children. People who had to run for their lives in the dead of night and were le with nothing but the clothes on their backs. People who were at death’s door and needed to settle their affairs before they died. I shudder every time I hear that another utility company is getting sued because they failed to manage vegetation around power lines or upgrade aging equipment. Maybe I’m naïve, but is this really that hard to do? How is this not the first priority of any company? Climate change is happening faster than we think, and I’ve never been more aware of weather and its effect on my life. And yet, it feels that some industries and companies are asleep at the wheel. It makes me worried that my safety and that of my family is in the hands of someone who cuts corners to save a buck or knock off work early. If ever there was a time for utilities and tree care companies to stop and reassess their vegetation management plans, it’s right now (pounds table for emphasis.) Because there are a lot of fire alarms ringing, and they’re keeping me up at night.
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Yours in safety,
Millicent Skiles Editor
ArborTIMES Fall 2023 | 3
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