The Indiana District will provide Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Basic Chainsaw training on Friday/Saturday, September 30 - October 1. A meal will be provided on Friday evening beginning at 5:30. Class will begin at 6:30 and run until 9:00. Saturday will be hands on training. Location will be shared Friday evening. Training will run from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Bagged lunch will be provided. Bottled water will be furnished at the site.
The chainsaw training will be for both experienced and novices. The District wants to equip LERT members with the ability to provide this service safely and efficiently, and to become qualified for deployment.
The Friday evening session will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 605 South Walnut Street, Seymour, IN 47274.
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.
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) - $25/participant.
- Pay at the time of training.
Class coordinator will distribute all training materials during and after the class.
Instructor - 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.
