It seems to me: a clear and present danger in Western Loudoun

By Joe LaFiandra

Most people are not fully aware of the danger of injury or death from falling trees in Western Loudoun. Before your eyes glaze over and say “Another thing to worry about” consider the following deaths from falling trees in Loudoun County: 

St. Francis de Sales Church pastor, Michael Kelly, in Hamilton, in 2008.

A seven-year-old girl in Purcellville, in 2018. 

A fifty-two-year-old woman in Leesburg, in 2019.

A thirteen-year-old girl in Purcellville, in 2019.

While your odds of being injured or killed in this manner are low, the present danger of falling trees in rural areas is not being addressed properly by authorities. 

Perhaps, I am being overly cautious because I have personally been involved with this problem over the years. In fact, one recent situation that I will present in detail, has gotten my attention. But first let me tell you about my own experiences.

I was born and grew up in the South Bronx where there were no trees for blocks and I mean, no trees. In my teen years, we moved to a house in the North Bronx where there were farms and trees. Our house was one of two identical homes with a common driveway. During a hurricane, a large tree approximately two feet in diameter, fell luckily, in the driveway. Our house had some minor damage from some branches. 

Later in life, when my family moved to Long Island, I had a similar experience. My wife and kids were about to move into a new development, when a hurricane crossed the Island. I was again lucky, several large trees fell on houses being built, but none on my house. It was close, the trees fell away from my house. 

Yes, there’s more. A woman was killed by a falling branch on Long Island when she was driving on a main road close to my home. While hiking in a park in Philadelphia, a large branch fell on a path that I was on moments earlier. There was no wind or storm at the time. 

In the December 31, 2008 incident, I found out later, that I was a few minutes on the road behind Father Kelly. I was about to turn on Harmony Church Road on my way to Southern Virginia when my wife announced that she forgotten her cell phone. We turned around, picked up her phone and proceeded on our journey only to find that the road was blocked ahead with fire and rescue equipment. That was when the tree fell on him.  

My recent experience started this year in August, when traveling North on Lincoln Rd., just South of the border of Purcellville. I was stopped by a tree trimming crew as they cut branches from a 50 ft. tree on the right side of the road. 

A few days later, I looked up as I again travelled North on Lincoln Rd. passing the same tree. I noticed that one large branch had not come down-instead it was suspended by a thin sliver of wood hinge on one end and thin lower branches at the other. The branch was about 8 in. in diameter, 10 ft. long and 25 ft. in the air. It was partially over the roadway that hundreds, probably thousands of cars use daily to get into Purcellville. 

Because of my history of falling trees, I proceeded to call several utilities and agencies to make them aware that this hazard existed. These calls included, VDOT, Verizon, 911 (sheriff), Purcellville Fire and Rescue and Dominion Electric. I was either told “We will look in to it” or “We will send somebody.” Some of the agencies did sent representatives to the site and all acknowledged that the branch was a possible hazard but again nobody did anything. 

I felt that we were on borrowed time. There hadn’t been any storms for weeks. That branch was going to come down soon or later.

Finally, I contacted Loudoun County Supervisor Caleb Kershner’s office and spoke to staff member Arlee Harris. She was instrumental in having VDOT show up with a tree trimming crew to finally remove the dangerous branch. 

A heartfelt thanks goes out to Kershner’s office and also to my Brown’s Farm neighbor near the tree for their persistent efforts to monitor and remove this danger.

So, what have I learned from this incident?  Be prepared for a lot of finger pointing and excuses.  Don’t expect someone else to notify the proper authorities when a hazard to life and limb exists.

Joe LaFiandra writes an occasional column, “It seems to me” for the Blue Ridge Leader.