Description:
The Kansas District will provide Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Basic Chainsaw training on Saturday, October 28, 2023. The chainsaw training serves to increase our dedicated LERT volunteer’s capabilities to help those who haven’t the means or skills to perform this dangerous work following a disaster. The district wants to equip LERT members with the ability to provide this service safely and efficiently.
You must have previously completed the LERT basic training class to participate in this class.
Location: 14200 S Pflumm Rd, Olathe, KS Classroom, fieldwork and lunch will all be onsite at this residential property.
During the training, you will learn the following:
- Safe operation of a chainsaw
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Injury prevention
- How to buck and limb fallen trees
- How to clear debris in a safe and beneficial manner
- those at the age of 15 - 17 may attend the classroom portion and become a dragger but will not be able to become a puller or chainsaw operator until they have reached the age of 18 and complete the operations portion of the class.
The morning session is classroom lecture on chainsaw safety. All LERT qualified volunteers are invited to attend.
The afternoon session is operations hands-on with a saw. The morning session must be attended to participate.
Please indicate if your intent is to train as a chainsaw operator/puller (safety and operations portion of the class) or only as a dragger (safety portion of class).
To be authorized to use a chainsaw on LERT disaster responses as an LCMS LERT Chainsaw Operator, you must attend BOTH the safety (morning) and operations & fieldwork (afternoon) sessions.
Afternoon hands-on participants should bring, if they have:
- Chainsaw, bar oil, gas-oil or synthetic fuel mix
- Chaps and other Personal Protective Equipment (helmet, eye protection, gloves, steel-toed boots)
- Participants must wear steel-toed work boots or equivalent. (Tennis shoes or sandals/flip-flops are not allowed in the afternoon session).
- Outdoor work clothes and boots appropriate for the weather at the time. Shorts not allowed.
- Some chainsaws and PPE will be available for training if you do not have your own, but are limited.
- Those under the age of 18 will not be allowed to operate a chainsaw or act as a "puller" during operations.
- Fieldwork will be conducted on-site.
Training Costs:
- Morning and Afternoon (LERT qualified Chainsaw Operator) - $25. Class will begin at 8:30 so please plan to arrive by 8am.
- Please prepay registration by October 21, 2023. Make checks payable to First Lutheran Church (Paola) and mail registration fee to: Brian Mead, 404 W. South St., Springhill, KS 66083
- To register to attend: lcms-lert.org before October 21, 2023
- Your LERT Chainsaw Trainer will distribute all materials needed for the class.
Snacks, drinks, and lunch will be provided.
Please contact Brian Mead, (859)576-1892 or DDRC Donna Williams (316)641-0332 ksddrc@gmail.com for further information if needed.
