R8 Climbing Instructor's training course

[Burnham]

Another workshop facilitation job for me, this one in Louisiana last week. By coincidence, close by to the Masterblaster's stomping grounds, so we got together for a few beers and a chat one night after work.

The main business occupying FS climbers in the piedmont zone of the southeastern states are efforts to recover populations of the red-cockaded woodpecker, federally listed as an endangered species. They climb to construct artificial cavity nesting habitat, and to monitor all manner of RC woodpecker activity.

Pretty interesting work, and a real narrow niche for tree climbers. Some is done under contract, but a large portion is done by FS climbers, too. I was certifying instructors, who in turn train and certify FS climbers. Certs are good for 3 years, so they cycle through fairly frequently.

One thing that y'all who gathered for the redwood climb GTG 3 years ago might be interested in...I showed these instructors the prusik loop backup to a figure 8 rappel and they went for it as enthusiastically as most of you did. They REALLY liked it for aerial rescue. Here's a pic of the setup, for those who may have missed the discussion since.

 

[Burnham]

Here's a few more pictures, just to share the scene. It was hot to me, but the locals said it was nice...only 90 or so, humidity in the mid 70's .

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's a shame we couldn't hook up together once again. It looks like you were schooling some mofos, cool! Yea, you missed the heat by 30 days - you got lucky!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Sweat fest

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's quite comfortable, now.

 

[canadiantreeman]

Looks like a pretty nice scene to work in. Niche work for sure!

 

[Burnham]

Say Butch...you still got connections in the tree biz...keep your ears open for the appearance of some gear hocked or offerred for sale. One of our guys had a cargo box lifted from the bed of his POV truck at the motel. 3 or 4 saddles, 8 lanyards, buncha biners, some rope, I don't know what all. Police said not to expect anything so far as recovery.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

OUCH! that sux!

 

[Bodean]

Gotta ask, what was up with the ladder?

Was that for folks not as spur savy?

edit, just saw that Burnham, What a bummer. Thieves and Liars, best left dead in the briars.

 

[Burnham]

The main issue is worry by biologists that the damage inflicted by spurs might cause mortality in the longleaf or slash pines they've invested so much money into with the cavity insert activity. No way, imo...the RCW hammer the snot out of those trees and they pitch out wounds with no trouble at all.

The stacking ladders do make it easy to do multiple climbs with extremely low damage to the trees, and these trees get climbed a lot when the cavity gets occupied.

 

[Bodean]

Right on, I just saw some folks with spurs and others with ladders.

Tanks fer splaing me.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Sad as it sounds, the cops are probably right. Lordy! Friggin' thieves!

 

[Burnham]

Right on, I just saw some folks with spurs and others with ladders.

Tanks fer splaing me.

I do my best to try to get those and other "narrow scope" instructors and climbers to expand their skills beyond the basic requirements of the work they do. So I offer exposure to all manner of climbing techniques. Actually, that's why a Region will spend a couple thousand dollars to bring me in for a course like this...my rep carries some benefits . I'm a lucky guy...never would have dreamed to be in this position.

The spurs actually offers a superior aerial rescue platform, as you can well imagine.

 

[brendonv]

Nice Burn!

How does one become a fs climber? Where would you start to look?

 

[Burnham]

Do you mean as a contractor, Brendon?

 

[arborworks1]

Yeah how do you get to contractor status? I have alot of rc colonies around here on tree farms. Might be a good extra income.

 

[Burnham]

All federal contracts are published on-line at FBO.gov has moved - https://www.fbo.gov. It's a HUGE list, obviously, but the search functions works pretty well. That would be the place to start in finding contracts you might wish to bid. As you might imagine, there are lots of opportunities in landscape and arbor maintenance work as well as natural resource management climbing work. The feds own a lot of property in way of administrative and recreational sites, and it all needs regular upkeep. Heck, there is a ton of hazard tree removal work done every year on USFS roads alone. Lots of resources there on learning about the fed contracting game, as I understand it.

There are insurance and bonding requirements, but they vary widely, depending on the total contract value and the potential for damages if poor performance becomes an issue.

Policy is that contracting officers must include contract language that require contractors to observe the same operational guidelines that FS climbers must meet, but frankly, that doesn't happen much of the time 'cause CO's are in their own little world. So check that out if you are looking at a specific contract. If you want to see what those requirements would look like (often they are included by reference rather than inclusion) go to USDA Forest Service - National Tree Climbing Program - http://www.fs.fed.us/treeclimbing/ and look at the Tree Climbing Field Guide, under the policy page. Caveat...we will probably be issuing a full revision of the Guide in the next year, so that's a heads up. No radical differences, but some that might possibly influence the costs of doing business, for sure.

 

[Bodean]

That's a huge link, never knew, Thanks. Awesome.

 

[Burnham]

I surely don't know all there is to know about contracting with the FS, or the feds in general, but if y'all have a question I'd be happy to offer any insights I might have.

 

[brendonv]

Do you mean as a contractor, Brendon?

Either or, just in general.

I'll check out the link, thanks.

 

[Burnham]

Here's a link to a post I made in answer to a question similar to yours...actually, the link is to the questioning post from Sean, my answer follows.

https://www.masterblasterhome.com/s...-sprung-leaner&p=405554&viewfull=1#post405554