Close Call with A Dangerous Tree Near the Office

Close Call with A Dangerous Tree Near the Office

Fall City is a beautiful city in King County. The water is clean, the air is fresh, and you have the homey feeling of a small town. But when a nearby tree adjacent to your office proves to be dangerous you need to know how to handle the situation. 

That day in October of 2021 limbs from the tree fell upon the power lines and caught fire. The wind brought burning limbs onto the office roof rallying Martin and Celia to take quick action to save the building from going up in flames. To Martin Lee Wheeler, a retired firefighter, it was almost another day at the firehouse except it was their office, Martin, a garden hose, and a much smaller ladder. Not just another day at the office.

They quickly called the fire department as they needed to be on-site to provide a case number. When you call in a dangerous situation with a tree this is what you need to do first. 

Martin and Celia will always be grateful for the following four people at King County who handled the problem with appropriate urgency so that one dangerous tree would not cause further damage to their building or that of a neighbor.

Those four people are Dow Constantine, King County Executive, Kathy Lambert, King County Councilmember, John Taylor, Director, King County Department of Local Services, and Trisha Davis, Director, King County Road Services Division.

We are posting this article as a service to you if you should ever need to take action regarding a dangerous tree near your home or office, or if you see such trouble likely to occur on the county roads you travel. Unstable trees can fall without warning causing tragedies. We have all heard of tragic accidents along our roads and we see the crosses where loved ones have perished. Please be aware when driving or walking. Don’t just notice the beauty of creation around you. Be aware of detached hanging limbs or trees that may be storm-damaged. There is a reason they are called widow-makers.

If you have trees around your home make it a point to examine them from time to time, and notice if the ground is soggy due to much rainfall. Over time, in the Pacific Northwest, wind and rain can cause considerable damage. Let’s be vigilant, and do our best to prevent tragedies. If you see a problem call the local fire department first. 

If the problem is on a county roadway, it is the responsibility of the county to prevent an accident. If it is in King County, call the King County Road 24/7 Helpline: 206-477-8100 or toll-free at 800-527-6237. 

If you notify the appropriate offices in your county before someone is hurt, the county will not be able to claim that an accident was an “act of God”, because their office could have prevented the problem from occurring.