If it came down to it, could you do this?

[formerarmybrat23]

Man pinned under tree cuts off leg with knives   
Associated Press
Published Thursday June 7th, 2007
Appeared on page A2
http://www.canadaeast.com/ce2/docroot/article.php?articleID=7466



Alone in the woods with his left leg pinned beneath a fallen tree for 11 hours, a 66-year-old man used pocket knives to cut off his limb below the knee to free himself, a neighbour and authorities said.

Al Hill had been cutting trees last Friday when one fell on him. After freeing himself, he cried out for help and a neighbour passing through the sparsely populated area heard him.

Eric Bookey then hiked about three kilometres to find a cellular signal and placed an emergency call to the town's volunteer fire department about 7:30 p.m. local time, fire Chief Luana Dowling said Wednesday.

Hill was eventually airlifted by helicopter to a hospital where he had amputation surgery, Dowling said.

"He's a pretty remarkable person," Dowling said.

A hospital spokeswoman said Hill was in serious condition Wednesday and declining interviews.

 

[mover1]

After having a good cry I would have tried to dig under my leg or cut the damn tree with my pocket knife. 

 

[formerarmybrat23]

Yea theres no way i would either.  Especially after that nasty scene in Saw 1. Blah. This is pretty terrible but I would wait as long as possible, maybe even die becuase of my own foolishness.  Worst part was even if he had a cell phone it wouldnt have worked. 

 

[scoutfinch]

Surely he could have chipped away at the tree in the same length of time and with a hell of a lot of less pain....

 

[Kat Stevens]

Errr, if he was falling trees, didn't he have an axe or saw with which to dismantle the offending tree?

 

[formerarmybrat23]

Lets not assume that this man didnt have any common sense. Obviously if the axe or saw were within reach he could have put them to use. Either way how wise would it be to saw through a thick tree at that angle and close to his body? he probably would have lost more then his lower leg that way.

 

[Danjanou]

Surely he could have chipped away at the tree in the same length of time and with a hell of a lot of less pain....

Not necessarily. Take a look at your leg, now imagine the circumference of a tree trunk big and heavy enough to pin him and that he was unable to shift off of him. Also I would suggest wood may be harder to saw through than flesh with a pocket knife.

Errr, if he was falling trees, didn't he have an axe or saw with which to dismantle the offending tree?

I'm guessing when the tree fell; the ax or saw landed outside his reach.

We could Monday Morning quarterback this all day. Without a lot of the specifics, such as was he bleeding, threat of exposure, hypothermia etc and to be honest his state of mind it’s all just assumptions.

Seems to me there was another case like this a few years back