The Southern Illinois District will provide Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Basic Chainsaw training on Saturday, December 13, 2025. 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. This training consists of two parts, a morning classroom session and an afternoon hands-on session that will be outdoors. Afternoon participants will be doing actual chain saw activities.
The morning classroom session will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church, 609 E. Warren, Bunker Hill, IL 62014. Class will start promptly at 8:00 a.m., please arrive by 7:45 a.m. to complete registration and to receive class material.
The afternoon session will be outdoors several miles south of Bunker Hill, Directions will be provided during the morning session. Those participating in the afternoon hands-on session should bring a sack lunch to eat outdoors, as well as water for the afternoon session.
You must have previously completed the LERT basic training class to participate in this class.
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 a dragger but will not be able to become a puller or chainsaw operator until they have reached the age of 18.
The morning session is classroom lecture style. All LERT qualified volunteers are invited to attend.
The afternoon session is hands-on with a chainsaw. Those wishing to participate in the hands-on training must attend the morning classroom session.
Those wishing to volunteer as draggers or pullers only, need not attend the afternoon session.
Those wishing to attend both sessions should register for both.
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.
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. 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.
- Those that are under the age of 18 will not be allowed to operate a chainsaw.
Training Costs:
- Morning and Afternoon (LERT qualified Chainsaw Operator) - $25.00, includes training manual, certificate, new ID. The fee includes the afternoon session for those participating.
- Pay at the time of training, checks should be made to Zion Lutheran Church.
Please contact Kurt Elsesser, kurtelsesser@yahoo.com or 618-315-7316 for additional information or questions.
