TKU Saw School: Chainsaw Training Course (3 Days) – Mt Hood

Saw Instructors: Vito P. – Josh D. – Nathan F.

Max Size of Crew: 12

Hike Distance: < 3 miles

Elevation Gain: (in ft) < 500 ft.

Hike Intensity: Low to Moderate

Work Intensity: Low to Moderate

Work Type: Sawyer Certification

First Day: 6-8 hrs of classroom and 1-2 hrs hands-on instruction

Second Day: 1 hr review and 6-7 hrs field evaluation

Third Day: 6-8 hrs field evaluations and review of results

Land Manager: Mt Hood National Forest

District: Zigzag and Clackamas

This TKO Saw School training event is for volunteers, professionals, and agency staff who are looking to receive an initial USFS chainsaw certification, recertification, or advancement in certification to the B level. We will be utilizing the new USFS Saw Training curriculum, “Developing Thinking Sawyers”.

* **The ticket price for volunteers is optional. For those with the means to pay the volunteer ticket price, you’ll be paying forward other volunteers’ access to training sessions such as these. ***

A special thanks to BLM and USFS for providing funding to support this training event.

Initial Chainsaw Bucking Certification (3 days): You must be at least 18 years old to attend. Every saw operator must be certified to ensure safe and quality work. This session is for those who do not have a USFS saw certification card or those who are pursuing advancement in their current certification. You can also look in the TKO event calendar for a one-day recertification event if you already have a USFS saw certification and are looking to recertify.

The course will cover key safety procedures and best practices for clearing trails effectively in challenging and potentially hazardous situations. Day one is a 7-8 hr classroom (PowerPoint and video instruction) with possible field instruction depending on the weather conditions. This will be held at the Zigzag Stewardship Training Center. Day two is a 1-2 hr review followed by 6-7 hrs of field practice. Day three will be 6-8 hrs of field evaluations. Days two and three will be in the field within Mt Hood National Forest. Candidates typically receive an “A” level certification. Candidates who demonstrate extensive skill and leadership with considerable hands-on saw experience may receive “B” level certification. We will be utilizing the new USFS Saw Training curriculum, “Developing Thinking Sawyers”.

**A current First Aid and CPR certification is required to attend the field portions of this event, and for saw certifications to be valid.** TKO staff, volunteers, professionals, and USFS staff cannot use crosscut saws or chainsaws unless they hold a recognized and valid sawyer certification, First Aid, and CPR card.

You can enter your current or expired First Aid/CPR certification by clicking this link.

First Aid/CPR Record.

First Aid/CPR Resources:

First Aid CPR Training | Oregon Trails

American Red Cross CPR/First Aid – find a class

Note: Please bring work gloves, safety glasses, hard hats, hearing protection, and chainsaw chaps. Some of these PPE items can be provided by TKO staff if needed.

TKO can provide chainsaws, and they can be used by students if you do not own a saw.

Please contact sawprogram@trailkeepersoforegon.org if you have any questions.

Potential cancellation: We will not work in the field if the weather is not safe for our team.

Directions and how to receive important information about this event: Event details, including directions and meeting information, will be emailed to you 48 hours before the event. If you’ve previously unsubscribed from Eventbrite emails, your inbox might block this message. To ensure you receive our event details, login to Eventbrite, visit Account Settings, and check the box for “Important reminders for my next event.”

What to bring:

• Food for all three days of the event.
• Plenty of water for all three days of the event.
• Snacks
• Gloves, Safety Glasses, Hard Hat, Hearing Protection, Chainsaw Chaps (must overlap your boots by 2 inches), Saw Fuel, Bar Oil, etc.
• Hand Sanitizer

What to wear:

• Boots (Please wear something sturdy that will protect your toes from sharp tools. Boots must cover your ankles. No tennis shoes allowed.)
• Work gloves
• A long-sleeved shirt is a requirement
• Long pants are required
• Hearing protection is a requirement
• Chainsaw chaps are required
• Face Mask (optional for indoor class, optional for outdoors)
• Rain gear as appropriate for the weather

Questions?

Please contact Vito Perrone at sawprogram@trailkeepersoforegon.org

Additional Information:

Check out the TK-U Saw School page for more info.

Saws That Sing. A guide to using a crosscut saw.

One moving part: The Forest Service Ax Manual

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: TKO recognizes that the trails we work on travel through the traditional lands of many Indigenous tribes and communities. We are the most recent in a long line of stewards to this land, and it is our responsibility to do so with humility and respect. We are grateful to these tribes and their descendants for being the original and continuing stewards of these spaces, and encourage everyone to go beyond a land acknowledgement by supporting Indigenous communities and organizations in your area.

EQUITY & INCLUSION: TKO seeks to make Oregon’s trails a place where people can go to connect with nature & one another. Not everyone feels safe or welcome in the outdoors due to issues like racism, bias, and hate. We commit to being part of the solution to this problem and to enact change. Conduct, speech, or expressions that target any individual or group will not be tolerated by TKO, regardless of whether they are based on age, citizenship, disability, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, geographic origin, language, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

PERSONAL SAFETY: Your physical and emotional safety is our number one priority. If a person’s actions or comments make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you may: interrupt directly, tell a crew leader, and/or inform TKO staff via the post-event survey.

While TKO no longer requires masking/vaccination for its events, we do support those who feel masking is necessary for their own safety. We ask participants to respect the health of folks who wear masks by distancing or wearing a mask while in close proximity.