The day a squirrel shut down my whole job site

Had a big removal scheduled for a silver maple in a tight backyard in Springfield, and we were all set up with the bucket truck and chipper. A squirrel decided our main power line was the perfect place to build a nest, and it chewed through the insulation, causing a short that tripped the breaker for the whole block. The homeowner's neighbor came out yelling about his freezer, and we lost three hours waiting for the utility crew. Anyone else have a job get totally wrecked by wildlife?

2 comments

2 Comments

wade_young861mo ago

Honestly, does the utility company in your area offer those protective covers for the lines? Tbh after a similar mess with a raccoon, we started asking the crew to put them on before we even set up near primary wires. It's a five minute job for them and saves a huge headache. Ngl, it won't stop every problem but it keeps the worst of the chewing damage from happening.

hannahs711mo ago

Wait, you can just ask them to do that?