The North and South Wisconsin Districts will provide LERT BASIC Chainsaw training on Sunday, September 20th and Monday, September 21st (with possibly Monday 21st in the afternoon IF NEEDED for a 3rd section of hands-on training).
A meal will be provided on Sunday evening beginning at 5:00 pm at the start of the classroom portion of LERT BASIC CHAINSAW TRAINING and will last till approximately 8:00 pm.
Monday will be hands-on training. Location will be shared during classroom training on Sunday evening. "In the woods" Training will run from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 am Monday. (A possible afternoon section (12:30 pm-3:30 pm). *If the class size warrants it, a Monday section will be created for those living closest to the worksite from 12:30-3:30 pm to accommodate the possibility of a larger class.*
Bottled water will be furnished at the worksite on Monday. Participants are encouraged to bring their own Gatorade or Powerade, if they would like.
Lunch is on your own for Monday's sessions.
The chainsaw training will be for both experienced and novice sawyers. The districts want to equip LERT members with the ability to provide this service safely and efficiently, and to become qualified for LERT deployment.
The Sunday evening session will be held at
St. John Lutheran SCHOOL,
164475 GRANITE ROAD,
Wausau, WI 54403
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 aged 14 - 17 may attend the classroom portion and become an "at-a-distance dragger" ONLY but will NOT be able to become a puller or chainsaw operator until they have reached the age of 18 and then complete the operator portion of the course.
To be authorized to use a chainsaw on LERT disaster responses as an LCMS LERT Chainsaw Operator, you must attend BOTH the classroom and "hands-on" sessions.
Class participants should complete basic LERT training before taking this class.
Monday 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. Tennis shoes or sandals/flip-flops are not allowed in the hands-on 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.
- Those who are under the age of 18 will not be allowed to operate a chainsaw or pull debris from the chainsaw work area.
Training Costs:
- Evening and Morning (LERT qualified Chainsaw Operator) - $50/participant.
- Pay at the time of training.
The class coordinator will distribute all training materials during and after the class.
LERT Chainsaw Trainer - The Training will be led by Pastor Andy Weden, North Wisconsin District Disaster Response Coordinator and Pastor Eric Hollar of Shepherd's Heart Disaster Response Ministry located in the South-Eastern District-LCMS. Pastor Andy and Pastor Eric helped lead the Disaster Response after both the Ringle, WI tornado in April and assisted with the Fox Valley Tornado at the end of July. Both are looking forward to this opportunity after a busy spring and summer tornado season.
If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact the North Wisconsin District Disaster Response Coordinator, Pastor Andy Weden, at Peace Lutheran Campus Center, 715-345-6510.
