The 2004 hurricane season created plenty of cleanup work throughout Lee County on the Gulf Coast of Florida, including its largest city, Fort Myers. The county’s Gradall excavators, including a new Model XL 3100, were rushed into action for the initial cleanup work to restore public safety. Next, crews hurried to respond to the many calls from residents regarding drainage ditches that had been blocked by trees, vegetation and debris.
A boom-end grapple attachment enables an operator to quickly and effectively load sludge, vegetation and other materials into trucks. Boom-tilt capability makes it possible to position big loads to fit into truck beds, plus the ability to reposition the chassis from the upper operator cab saves valuable time.
Lee County also uses a Telestick boom extension for its Gradall excavators to reach far out into streams and drainage ditches to remove silt and vegetation. The full-tilting boom movement can efficiently direct the boom-end bucket through turns and bends in the ditch and also restore bank slopes on each side.