South Carolina tower tech dies after 100-foot fall in Wisconsin, marking troubling fifth industry fatality of 2025

[mahatmakanejeeves]

South Carolina tower tech dies after 100-foot fall in Wisconsin, marking troubling fifth industry fatality of 2025

In Featured News by Wireless Estimator / December 3, 2025


Gere Thomas Walden, 41, of Greenville, SC, passed away on Monday after falling 100 feet from the above SBA Communications 300-foot guyed tower in Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin. He was the fifth industry fatality in 2025. (Inset photo from Walden’s Facebook page)

On Monday, December 1, at approximately 10:30 a.m., a tower technician fell from a cell tower and later succumbed to his injuries, according to the Douglas County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office in a brief statement. ... Sheriff Matt Izzard said his agency received a report that a male worker had fallen roughly 100 feet from a structure located off Industrial Park Road in Lake Nebagamon. Multiple medical agencies responded, and emergency personnel administered CPR and attempted to revive the technician using a defibrillator. The worker, later identified as Gere Thomas Walden of South Carolina, was pronounced dead at the tower site.

{snip}

Walden’s death marks the fifth tower technician fatality recorded in 2025, placing this year on pace to exceed the average annual death toll the industry has seen over the past decade. Although the sector has made notable advances in training, certification, and safety awareness, the numbers tell a sobering story, especially considering that the 5G build over previous years has cratered and the number of technicians in the industry has fallen.

After a high of 14 fatalities in 2013, the industry appeared to trend downward, dropping to just two deaths in both 2023 and 2024—a level viewed by many as evidence that safety reforms were beginning to take root. ... Yet 2025 has already more than doubled last year’s total within the first 11 months, raising concerns that the industry may be slipping backward. Looking longer-term, the fatality count has fluctuated dramatically, from peaks such as 19 in 2006 and 15 in 2003 to an all-time low of one in 2012.

The current tally of five is not the highest in recent memory, but the reversal of the downward trajectory is troubling. If the pace continues, 2025 could emerge as one of the deadliest years in nearly a decade, prompting renewed scrutiny of safety practices, workforce pressures, and whether systemic economic and operational stresses are eroding the gains contractors have fought hard to achieve.

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[Lovie777]

1. Russia?................

[Irish_Dem]

2. I recently watched some techs do maintenance or repairs on a tower.

They had one rope line climbing up the tower.

Their odd, erratic behavior showed an obvious lack of training, and incompetence.
It looked like amateur hour.

I was out walking and stopped and watched it for a while because I seriously
thought I was going to have to call 911.

[exboyfil]

3. Seems like it should be code that fixed points to secure

Lines should be in the design of the tower and the metrics for time to complete tasks needs to be seriously investigated. There is no excuse for these types of accidents.

[lavoosh99]

4. It appears that this guy did not adhere to OSHA's rule

of 100% tie off. Just watched a video of climbers removing antennas. They had two lanyards on their harness. Clip one, step up, clip the second, remove the first and repeat. Looked like they were also tied in with a third while they were working.

[Irish_Dem]

5. The other strange thing was that the crew was dressed in old tank tops and shorts.

One of the crew was a middle aged lady. She wore a tank top, shorts, sneakers.
One of the men was older.

These two were rummaging around in a trunk full of ropes, throwing stuff around.
They seemed anxious. I didn't know if I was witnessing a robbery or if it was all legit.

While the other guy is climbing way up to the top of the tower, very high up.
They are not even looking at him.

If I was climbing up a significant ascent on rope, I would at least wear long pants and shirt for protection.
And the other crew members as well.

It looked like the employer had just hired people off of a Walmart parking lot.

It was all so strange.

[3Hotdogs]

6. The key, summarizing message from the O.S.H.A. course I took --- "If it looks stupid,

it is."

[Irish_Dem]

7. It almost looked a like a mom and pop operation.

Older mother and father.
And kid on the rope climbing.

All dressed like going to beach on a hot day.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. They were climbing the tower either for fun or to steal all the copper they could. NT

[Irish_Dem]

10. Yes I wondered if I was looking at a crime in progress.

That is why I stopped to look at it and pulled out my phone.
I didn't know if there was going to be a medical emergency or crime in progress.

They were there for about a half hour, it is near a place where I walk all the time.
Then they finally left.

I did not know what to make of it.
I didn't know if there was anything of value in the tower or not.

[Grins]

8. Lake Nebagamon. Had to look that up.

WAY northwestern Wisconsin!!!!! Close to Lake Superior, and about 30-miles east of Duluth.

The population of the town is about 1,000 people.