Tree worker got leg caught in wood chipper… immediately airlifted...

MASHPEE – A tree worker had the wherewithal to reach up and hit the emergency stop button as his leg was being sucked into an unforgiving wood chipper…

At about 2pm, Mashpee Fire and Rescue, Mashpee police, and Cotuit firefighters all rushed to the New Seabury area after a tree worker reportedly got his leg sucked into a wood chipper.

Every split second counted as Mashpee Rescue workers arrived in the area of 67 Paddock Way expecting the worse. A Medflight helicopter was already on its way with an ETA of about 10 minutes.

First responders wanted the nearest possible landing zone… which turned out to be a practice golf driving range at the nearby New Seabury Country Club.

Firefighters and police rushed to the driving range to make it safe for landing. Golfers were asked to pick up their clubs and step back. All golf balls needed to be picked up and removed from the immediate area.

The patient was rushed from the scene to the LZ, which was about two minutes away…

The good news is that the patient was alert and talking to medics as he was transferred from the ambulance to the awaiting helicopter. He was then airlifted to a trauma center…

Check back for additional details…

The following footage shows the patient being airlifted. It also shows the scene where the accident happened. Fellow workers back at the scene told HN that the patient’s leg got tangled up in rope, which then got pulled into the wood chipper. The patient had the wherewithal to hit the emergency stop button, which definitely saved his life… and if you look closely at the very last clip, you can see the relatively tiny emergency shut off button… The patient’s condition is unknown, but he was apparently seriously injured… but it definitely could have been much worse.

[Press play… Select HD in settings and enlarge player for best quality…]