After the death of a trimmer in Bonita, an arborist and pruning expert explain the dangers of their job

After a 39-year-old Escondido man was killed Monday while pruning a palm tree in Bonita, NBC 7 decided to take a deeper look into the world of tree trimmers.

While climbing the pole, tree pruning instructor Javier Quiroz told us about the dangers of palm leaf pruning.

“They’ll just bury you and it’ll be hard for the fire department or anyone else to find you because you’re so tight you’ll just close up,” Kyros said, explaining the particular dangers of palm pruning.

After over 40 years in the industry and as head of the local Amalgamated Tree Climbers Association, he’s heard far too many death horror stories.

These incidents are fairly common, according to the Chula Vista Fire Department.

For him, the recent death of Bardomiano Bautista-Perez on Monday hit home.

“We have tree climbing competitions and he was one of our competitors in Escondido,” Quiros said.

Kyros said the 39-year-old husband and father, who suffocated after leaves fell on him while he was pruning a tree in Bonita, attended one of his classes.

“It hurts a lot because it’s a big fraternity, especially if you have a guy who was in your class,” he said.

Quiros and fellow instructor Martin Morales showed NBC 7 how trimmers can use a 120-pound pressure air cannon to shoot a light lead line with a weight on the end over tall trees 70 to 100 feet high.

“You can’t take off your regular climbing rope. You have to use a smaller rope and once it is on the other side you attach a normal climbing rope and pull it tight,” Kyros explained.

Trimmers wear spikes and harnesses, like climbers, so they can attach to ropes and climb the outside of the leaves, where it’s safer, according to instructors.

While they can’t talk about the details of the accident that killed Bautista-Pérez, Quiros showed pictures of some trimmers deciding to climb the tree through the leaves.

According to Kyros, as the trimmer cuts the tree on its way up, the rotten branches are no longer supported and fall apart.

“This material can attack you and break your back, or the weight will be on your neck and you will suffocate,” he explained.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 68 triggers died on the job in California between 2011 and 2021. Sixty-one of them self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.

Kyros says his own near-death experience made him change his approach to tree pruning.

“I felt it all hit me and it was like an earthquake… you can’t breathe,” he said.

Decades later, at the age of 60, Kyros said he always plays it safe and encourages others to do the same.

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