The North and South Wisconsin Districts will provide LERT BASIC Chainsaw training on Friday/Saturday, May 19th and 20th (with possibly Sunday 21st in the afternoon IF NEEDED for a 3rd section of hands-on training).
A meal will be provided on Friday evening beginning at 5:00pm. Class will begin at approx. 5:30pm and run until no later than 9:00pm.
Saturday will be hands-on training. Location will be shared Friday evening. Training will run from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m with a morning section (8am-12noon) and an afternoon section (12:30pm-4:30pm). *If the class size warrants it, a Sunday section will be created for those living the closest to occur from 12noon-4pm to accommodate the possibility of a larger class.*
Bottled water will be furnished at the worksite on Saturday. Participants are encouraged to bring their own Gatorade or Powerade, if they would like.
Lunch is on your own for Saturday 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 Friday evening session will be held at Immanuel Lutheran School, 111 11th Street North, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
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 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.
Saturday 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 that are under the age of 18 will not be allowed to operate a chainsaw or pull debris from the chainsaw work area.
Training Costs:
- Morning and Afternoon (LERT qualified Chainsaw Operator) - $45/participant.
- Pay at the time of training.
Class coordinator will distribute all training materials during and after the class.
LERT Chainsaw Trainer - The Training will be led by Pastor Ed Brashier, Southern District Disaster Response Coordinator. Pastor Ed is a second career pastor who was a power company lineman and professional tree surgeon for over 20 years before answering the Call to pastoral ministry.
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.
