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Written by Mike Charron
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Monday, 02 May 2011 08:10 |
 8 members of HPT had a great time on Saturday when they completed the FISTA Chainsaw Training Class. HPT members were joined by 3 members from Vernon County Trails on the proper use of and safe techniques in handling various sizes of chainsaws needed for trail maintenance and trail building duties.
The certification class was taught by Jim Olive of the Forest Industry Safety and Training Alliance based in Rhinelander, WI. The classroom portion of the training consisted of reviewing safety equipment and learning how to properly maintain the chainsaw - both in the shop and in the field.
Participants in the class learned what safety equipment should be worn when using a chainsaw and viewed some nasty photos of accidents when safety equipment was not used. The class also destroyed an old pair of safety pants and saw first hand how the pants performed properly and did not allow the spinning chain to tear thru the material.
Mr. Olive demonstrated, and students learned, the current and proven techniques to fell trees. As HPT is not a logging operation, we spent more time on learning how to remove storm damaged trees which can be more dangerous and harder to remove than "normal" tree felling operations.
Students spent time on cutting bent over trees, twisted trees, trees leaning into and being held up by other trees, cutting trees with rotten trunks and heavily leaning trees that are still standing. Our members learned how to use wedges for bucking and also for felling trees. The "bore" or "plunge" cutting technique along with a wedge was used to assist in making a tree fall in the opposite direction from which it was leaning.
As a reminder, an HPT member must have this training in order to operate a chainsaw for any HPT activity. This is the third year that HPT has offered this training at no cost to HPT members.
HPT members who participated in this year's certification class included:
Paul Woods
Josh Blum
George Arimond
Luke Schuttenhelm
Robbie Young
Gene Roberts
Dave Lawrence
Mike Charron
Vernon County Members:
Ryan Kocian
Pete Taylor
Russel Dace
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uman Powered Trails, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is: “To develop and maintain first class sustainable and environmentally correct, human-powered, shared use trails for the La Crosse, WI region."
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