Portland Fire & Rescue crews hauled a worker to safety Tuesday night after a tree came down on them while they were felling trees on the city's west side. The call came from an area responders described as near "First Park" off Thompson, where firefighters had to scramble down a steep slope to reach the patient. Officials later said the person was no longer trapped under the tree and that crews were working their way down the hillside with the patient.
Portland Fire & Rescue posted the initial update on X, reporting that a tree had fallen onto "an individual who was felling trees" and that the patient was "no longer trapped under a tree." The post added that crews were "maneuvering down the slope with the patient" while working to get the person out. The brief update did not include the patient's condition or how they would be transported from the scene.
Rescue On A Steep Slope
The risks involved in this kind of call are well documented. A Forum article in the Journal of Forestry notes that logging and felling work remains among the most hazardous jobs in the United States, with many deadly incidents involving workers who are struck by falling trees or rolling logs. That research underscores why getting an injured faller off a steep hillside can be slow and risky for both the victim and the rescuers. The article highlights training, tight crew coordination and careful hazard assessments as key tools for reducing those dangers.
Forest Park Terrain Complicates Response
Portland Parks & Recreation points out that Forest Park and nearby wildland areas are packed with steep grades, dense timber and limited vehicle access, conditions that can bog down emergency responses and force rescuers into technical carries. The city has teamed up with Portland Fire & Rescue and partner groups on wildfire risk reduction and access improvement projects, but large stretches of trail still require firefighters to move patients by hand when trucks and other apparatus cannot get close. That reality helps explain why the bureau's post stressed that crews were maneuvering down the slope with the patient.
Portland Fire & Rescue's social media post was the first and, at the time, only public update on the incident. Officials had not released a longer statement with medical or transport details when that notice went up. We will keep an eye on official channels for any follow up information and report new details as they are made public.
