Let's put it this way, a woman in a logging class is about as common as a logger in a knitting class. So my presence in class added an element of fun to the whole day.

Our first order of business today was safety, as it should be, for as Certified Logging Professionals safety is our number one priority. The logging profession is the second most dangerous profession in the state of Maine next to fishing, so knowledge truly is power. The entire first day of training was devoted exclusively to "First Aid for the Logging Professional" with Kim Lynch. Kim kept our attention with lots of first hand accounts of actual real life situations that kept us grounded in reality.

When you are on the job site any number of things can go wrong, and most of those would not be the most expected. For instance, I heard a story today of how a saw on a slasher just broke away and literally went flying through the air, sending teeth scattering in all directions, one smashing through the windshield of a pick up truck.

The general public thinks that the dangers from logging come only from chainsaws and trees, when in reality there are many, many ways to be injured on a logging job.

Kim had some graphic pictures to really drive home the point of how to best handle those life threatening situations that any logger might find themselves in.

We had the opportunity for real life practice in assessing the situation and making the decisions that could ultimately make the difference between life or death. As loggers we can find ourselves in a situation that has difficult access with many miles between us and help. So the skill of quickly assessing the situation is one that we need to focus on as we approach an accident and begin the decision making process.

After a full day of practice, vivid real life examples, and gaining the tools to make informed decisions, I feel ready to help any of my fellow crew members in a moments notice.

E-mail this entry to a friend