The Forest Service requires that volunteers - who use
chainsaws to clear trails of downed trees - get certified or recertified every
3 years.
According to the Forest Service, volunteer sawyers
covered by those policies often maintain trails on national forests and
grasslands or work in Wilderness where crosscut saws are required. The national
saw directive standardizes training, evaluation, certification, and safety
procedures for sawyers operating on lands managed by the agency.
Valid Red Cross Adult First Aid Card
The FS requires volunteers to have a valid Red Cross
First Aid/CPR certification card BEFORE you can take the FS Chainsaw
Certification class. Depending on where
you live, the Red Cross
Classes (usually ½ day or so) are either online or you
attend in person.
Costs vary from $25 dollars for the online course to $115
for the classroom.
To learn more
about the American Red Cross training programs, please visit:
The safety planning components are related to Felling,
Bucking, Brushing and Limbing Plans that uses a planning logic strategy which
includes the following analysis and project description categories; Objective,
Hazards/Obstacles, Leans/Binds, Escape Routes, and Cut Plan (OHLEC). This process is applied to all phases of the
saw operation.
Historically, the chainsaw certification levels were
largely based on tree size or Diameter at Breast Height (DBH). The current
certification rating is more focused on the complexity of the specific felling
or bucking task using OHLEC as a decision matrix. The sawyer certification levels are listed
below.
A Sawyer. An
apprentice sawyer who may saw only in the least complex situations or, for
training purposes, at the next higher level and in either case only under the
immediate supervision of a B or C Sawyer qualified to supervise the work.
B Sawyer – Bucking Only (not applicable in the fire
management context). An intermediate sawyer who may independently buck and limb
any size material in moderately complex situations and who may saw at the next
higher level, but only under the immediate supervision of a sawyer qualified to
supervise the work
B Sawyer – Felling and Bucking. An intermediate sawyer who may independently
fell, buck, and limb any size material in moderately complex situations. This
person may saw at the next higher level under the immediate supervision of a
sawyer qualified to supervise the work. This person may also conduct classroom
and field training for A and B Sawyers with prior written approval from the Saw
Program Coordinator.
C Sawyer – Bucking Only (not applicable in the fire
management context). An advanced sawyer who may independently buck and limb any
size material in highly complex situations based on the Regional Saw Program
Manager’s or Saw Program Coordinator’s written recommendation. The
recommendation must be supported by demonstrated advanced saw knowledge,
skills, and in most cases certification as a B Sawyer. This person may conduct
classroom and field training within that person’s skill level for A and B
Sawyers, and may conduct field proficiency evaluations within that person’s
skill level for A Sawyers and B Sawyers ̶ Bucking Only.
C Sawyer ̶ Felling
and Bucking. An advanced sawyer who may independently fell, buck, and limb any
size material in highly complex situations based on the Regional Saw Program
Manager’s or Saw Program Coordinator’s written recommendation. The
recommendation must be supported by demonstrated advanced saw knowledge,
skills, and in most cases certification as a B Sawyer. This person may conduct
classroom, field training, and proficiency evaluations for A and B Sawyers.
LINK TO INFO ON THE FOREST SERVICE NATIONAL SAW PROGRAM
Again, the training is very comprehensive. Topics include, but are not limited to:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), area size up, proper body positioning and
stance, familiarity with OSHA
requirements and regulations, physics of “binds”, physics of “kickback”, sawyer/swamper
communication, cutting area control, danger tree awareness, job hazard analysis and emergency evacuation
plans, Forest Service radio communication,
radio procedures and how to use a Forest Service radio; parts of the chainsaw, how to sharpen chainsaw chain, and saw maintenance; and of course the inclusion of safe chainsaw
handling, starting and stopping procedures, use of escape routes, and safe fueling of the saw to avoid “fuel
geysers.”
It is important to set aside two days for the FS Chainsaw
Class which includes one day in the classroom and one day in the field. And again, plan for ½ a day to attend a Red
Cross First Aid class.
As OHV stakeholders and partners wait for volunteer post-wildfire
projects to be scheduled -- once the
fires are out, mop up operations are concluded, and the FS or BLM are ready to
starting planning for volunteer projects -- you can be proactive and get your
Red Cross First Aid certification NOW and be ready to attend a FS chainsaw
class when they are announced.
The need for a trained professional volunteer workforce
will continue to grow as we face the current and future impacts of wildfires on
federal recreation areas.
*Don Amador also serves as the Operations Chief for the
Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance
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