Man trimming a palm tree suffered from seizures

A horrific rescue took place Friday afternoon when a man was removed from tree with power lines overhead.

It happened around 11:20 a.m. in central Bakersfield on 11th Street.

Bakersfield City Fire Department said they found a man, Greg Kleebowski, hanging from a palm tree, 30 feet above the ground. Firefighters struggled to get him down from a precarious position in less than ideal conditions.

They said he was connected to the tree by a tree-trimming hardness and experiencing seizures. Fire crews struggled for over an hour in hot temperatures and with a less-than ideal location.
As friends and family arrived, Pacific Gas and Electric came to shut down the power lines.
Finally, rescuers harnessed Kleebowski to a ladder truck and slowly lowered him to the ground.
Paramedics rushed him to the Kern Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon.

The fire department believes the tree became energized from making contact with a high-voltage wire.

PG&E says California Code prevents anyone but a certified trimmer to work within 10 feet of a high-voltage power line. Moreover, PG&E provides inspection and tree-trimming services.

Anyone who would like more information can call 1-800-pge-5000.

The inspection and tree-trimming work is free.