very comfortable dealing with high risk, right?” Carpenter says. “However, if there’s a worker injured, a loss, whatev- er caused that injury, we may not have the competency or the capability to tru- ly help them, and we may be exposing ourselves and exposing our crews to ad- ditional risks. And professional rescuers are trained on that, and they’re trained on how to manage those things.” If an aerial rescue becomes necessary, communication can save a crew mem- ber’s life. According to Bear LeVangie, founder, director, and trainer of the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop , it is critical to have someone who can take charge of the situation. “Chain of command is really important,” she says. “The person with more train- ing should also usurp the situation.” To help keep everyone calm, Sullivan says talking to the victim is crucial during a rescue. “You want to be talking to that guy during that whole ascent, whether they’re reactive or not,” he says. Having clear lines of communication with emergency professionals can make a significant difference during a rescue situation. Carpenter says one of the best things tree care companies can do is reach out to their local fire department and begin building rapport with them. “You can’t put a value on that,” he says. “It is tremendous. And it just takes time. It just costs time.” THE RESCUE GEAR BAG Carpenter says NATS focuses on train- ing clients with the equipment they use every day when it comes to having the right gear for a rescue. He says the gear question centers around what jobs they’re doing. “What is the work that’s being done on that site?” Carpenter asks. “If there’s work at height, what’s the ac- cess method?”
Noble Oak Safety and Training conducts an aerial rescue training class in collaboration with Century Tree Care and R&B Trees.
ArborTIMES Summer 2024 | 9
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online