80 MPH Gusts and 13 Inches of Rain Bear Down on the Northeast Coast

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The Ready Brief #207

Practical preparedness for uncertain times

A neighbor's tree came down across their driveway last month during a windstorm. Three guys showed up with chainsaws within twenty minutes. Not one of them wore chaps, eye protection, or seemed to know what a spring pole was. The tree got cleared. Nobody got hurt. But it was pure luck. Let's talk about doing it right.

Chainsaw Safety and Emergency Tree Removal

After every major storm, the same scene plays out. Trees are down across driveways, roads, and power lines. People grab chainsaws they haven't touched in months and start cutting. Emergency rooms fill up with lacerations, crushed limbs, and worse.

Chainsaw injuries send roughly 36,000 Americans to the ER every year. Most of those injuries happen to occasional users, not professionals. The common thread is almost always the same: no protective gear, no understanding of how a fallen tree stores energy, and no plan for what happens when the cut opens.

Here is the most important thing to understand about downed trees. They are under tension. A trunk lying across a ditch or resting on a branch is like a loaded spring. Cut in the wrong spot and the wood snaps, kicks, or rolls in ways that are genuinely hard to predict. Professional arborists spend years learning to read where the tension lives in a fallen tree. You don't need that level of expertise, but you need the basics.

Start with gear. Chainsaw chaps are the single most important piece of safety equipment. They contain layers of loose fibers that jam the chain and stop it almost instantly on contact. A pair costs $50 to $80. Combine that with a helmet that has a face screen and ear protection, work gloves, and steel-toe boots. Full kit runs under $150 and turns a potentially life-changing injury into a close call.

Before you cut, assess. Is the tree touching power lines? If yes, stop. Call your utility company. No exceptions. Even lines that look dead can carry lethal voltage. Is the tree under tension? Look at where it's supported and where it's suspended. The side under compression will pinch your bar. The side under tension will spring open. Make your relief cut on the compression side first, then cut from the tension side.

Keep your cuts planned and predictable. Never cut above shoulder height. Never stand on the trunk while cutting. Keep an escape path clear on both sides, angled back at 45 degrees from where the wood will move.

If the job looks complicated, it probably is. There is no shame in calling a professional. A tree service costs money. A helicopter medevac costs more.

One last thing. Maintain your saw before you need it. A sharp chain, fresh fuel, and a clean air filter mean the difference between a tool that works and one that binds, bogs, and forces you into bad positions. Check it twice a year, even if you haven't used it.

Check your chainsaw (or your backup plan).

If you own a chainsaw, pull it out. Check the chain tension, bar oil, fuel condition, and air filter. If you don't own one, identify two neighbors who do and make sure you have their numbers written down. Storm season doesn't send a calendar invite.

10 Year Treasury Yield Hits a 19 Year High

The 10 year Treasury yield closed at 5.19% on September 25, its highest level since July 2007, as traders price in more Federal Reserve rate increases, deteriorating government finances, and energy shocks tied to the Iran war. Diesel is now averaging near $6.50 a gallon nationally, with regular gasoline around $4.50. Higher borrowing costs and fuel prices move through the economy together, since everything trucked, from groceries to propane, costs more to move. Households that rely on heating oil, propane delivery, or a generator should budget for higher fuel costs this winter.

Source: Axios

EJ Snyder has completed six Naked and Afraid challenges, including 40 days in Colombia on Naked and Afraid XL. In one swamp survival challenge, he suffered a serious fall injury and chose to keep going rather than tap out. In an interview about his approach to survival, he said the biggest tool he has is his own mind, and that keeping a level head matters more than any single piece of gear. He has also said that fear will cripple your actions and can cost you your life.

The takeaway for storm cleanup: the chainsaw is not the dangerous part. A rushed, tired, or rattled operator is. Before you pull the cord, slow down and get your head right. That's the piece of safety equipment no store sells.

Source: The Epoch Times

Nor'easter Forces State of Emergency Across 8 New Jersey Counties

Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency for Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem counties, effective Friday at 5 p.m., as a slow moving nor'easter moves up the coast. New York also declared an emergency covering New York City. AccuWeather forecasts wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph, with localized gusts to 80 mph, coastal flooding 2 to 3 feet above normal high tide, and rainfall totals up to 13 inches in the hardest hit spots. The storm is expected to persist through Sunday, and officials are warning of possible power outages as saturated ground and sustained wind bring down trees.

If you're in the path, charge devices now, secure loose items outside, and make sure you can get by without grid power for a few days.

Source: New Jersey Governor's Office, AccuWeather

Husqvarna Technical Apron Wrap Chainsaw Chaps

A friend's saw kicked and nearly caught his thigh, and that put these chaps at the top of our list. They use the same protective fiber technology the pros rely on: five layers of Tek Warp cut-resistant material that jams the chain on contact. They fit over jeans, adjust with simple buckles, and breathe surprisingly well for layered safety gear.

At about $150, these are the single best piece of chainsaw safety equipment you can buy. If you run a saw even once a year, own a pair.

Budget alternative: Forester apron-style chainsaw chaps (about $70). Slightly less breathable, and they meet the same ASTM F1897 leg protection standard. Forester notes they are not rated for use with electric chainsaws.

Overrated: Electric chainsaws for storm cleanup. They work great for small limbs, but anything over 8 inches in diameter and you're fighting the tool instead of the wood.

Underrated: A good bow saw. No fuel, no noise, no maintenance. For anything under 6 inches, it's faster to grab a bow saw than to start a chainsaw.

AI-generated scam calls and deepfakes are getting scary good. We'll cover how to protect yourself and your family from crisis-related misinformation and fraud.

How was today's issue? Tap one below. If you pick "Could be better," tell us what to fix.

PS: If you have a chainsaw horror story or a near-miss that taught you something, hit reply. I'm collecting reader lessons for a future issue.