Wind blew tree onto sheltering soldiers, killing 2, loss report says

[rangerrebew]

Wind blew tree onto sheltering soldiers, killing 2, loss report says
By Rachel Nostrant
 Aug 17, 01:16 PM


 
Wind blew a large portion of a tree onto five Ranger School students who were spreading out to take shelter amid a storm warning, killing two and injuring three others on Aug. 9 at Fort Benning, Georgia, according to a preliminary loss report from the Army Combat Readiness Center.

Staff Sgt. George Taber and 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon were the two students killed, Army officials announced previously. Both soldiers were in student-status and conducting mountaineering training at Fort Benning when the incident occurred at 3:15 p.m. on Aug. 9.


After lightning strikes were recorded within 10 miles of Yonah Mountain, instructors sent the students into lightning-lockdown procedures. As the soldiers spread out, the wind knocked over a large portion of a tree onto five of them, the loss report revealed.

“Unit medics transported the two fatally injured soldiers off the mountainside and transferred the soldiers onto local ambulances with the unit physician’s assistant assisting along the way,” the report stated.

 https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-army/2022/08/17/wind-blew-tree-onto-sheltering-soldiers-killing-2-loss-report-says/

[roamer_1]

There is not a scarier place to be than in the woods in a high wind storm. Finding the leeward side of a mountain is terrifying. But hopefully you can make it there. If not, find a rock overhang that is leeward and get under it, or a big blow-down with a big root ball, and substantial room under the trunk. The trunk side of the root ball is likely to be leeward, and the trunk will likely protect you from other falling trees. But I will tell you - It is an experience you will not soon forget.