Frequently Asked Questions: Sawyer Certification
ATC's sawyer certification program is a worker-safety program designed to protect volunteers working on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
The program's goals are to:
- Train and certify volunteer sawyers to safely operate a chain-saw or crosscut saw in order to remove blowdowns and cut materials needed for trail-work projects.
- Make the certification process as easy for A.T. volunteers as possible by offering:
- Free training courses
- Free personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Reimbursement of first-aid and/or CPR certification costs
Why is sawyer certification required for A.T. volunteers?
Because certification is required of federal employees operating chain saws or cross-cut saws on the Appalachian Trail and, under the Volunteers-in-Forests (VIF) and Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) agreements between maintaining clubs and their agency partners, volunteers working on the Trail are considered government employees for the purposes of medical and tort claims.
What policies guide ATC’s sawyer training program?
The 2003 Memorandum of Understanding signed by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and ATC is the guiding document. Also in 2003, ATC’s Board of Managers passed the Chain-saw and Crosscut Saw Training and Certification Policy to endorse those federal agencies’ safety programs to protect volunteers and employees working on the Appalachian Trail
What is an A.T. sawyer?
An A.T. sawyer is defined as a member or affiliate of an A.T. maintaining club who uses a chain saw or crosscut saw on the A.T. at least twice per year. An A.T. sawyer may be an officially designated maintainer of a section of the Trail or an A.T. side trail or may participate in club work trips.
About certification courses:
What is the "textbook" for ATC's sawyer training courses?
The U.S. Forest Service’s Missoula Technology & Development Center’s (MTDC) Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Training Course Student Guidebook serves as the program’s curriculum. This guidebook is provided to all course participants and may be downloaded from ATC’s Web site.
How can I find a course?
Contact your ATC regional office or see the current course shedule. Before registering for a course, check with the contact person listed to make sure space is available.
How do I register for a course?
Pre-registration is required. After confirming that space is available, complete and return the course application form (also available from your ATC regional office).
What if there are no courses scheduled in my area?
If you are a member of an A.T.-maintaining club, contact your trail supervisor or club president and ask if a course may be arranged. If you are not a club member, contact your regional ATC office to see if future courses may be offered.
How long is the course?
Courses may range from 12 hours to 24 hours in length, depending on the instructor. Each course contains both classroom and field instruction and includes hands-on opportunities to use a saw. Depending on the needs of the attendees and the instructors’ availability, courses may be held on a weekend or during the week and may combine day and night sessions.
What does the course cover?
The course covers the following topics:
• A job-hazard analysis to identify the hazards associated with the task, abatement actions that can eliminate or reduce hazards, and first-aid supplies and emergency evacuation procedures
• A discussion of personal protective equipment (PPE) required for saw operation
• Situational awareness
• A hands-on demonstration of chain-saw or crosscut saw use and maintenance
• A discussion of common chain-saw or crosscut saw tasks and techniques, including bucking, limbing, and felling.
• Hands-on opportunities to practice the above techniques
Who teaches the courses?
ATC courses are taught by highly skilled and experienced sawyers who are certified instructors. The instructors are either government employees (U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, or state agency) or private contractors hired by ATC.
Who can take the courses?
A.T. sawyers are given priority for certification courses. Others will be allowed to participate if space is available. At least 60 percent of the participants must be A.T. sawyers for courses taught by ATC contract instructors.
About fees:
Is there a fee for the course?
Sawyer training courses are offered at no charge to A.T. sawyers (see definition above) and members of A.T.-maintaining clubs, although students are asked to include a $65 cancellation fee with their course application. For courses taught by ATC contractors, non-A.T. sawyers will be charged a $130 course fee to cover materials and instruction.
Why is there a $65 cancellation fee even for A.T. sawyers?
This fee is to discourage “no shows.” Classes are limited in size for optimum instruction, but ATC’s expenses for a course are not reduced when students don’t show up. The fee is assessed (check is cashed or credit card billed) only if a student does not attend the course without giving at least a week’s notice to the ATC regional office. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for extenuating circumstances. A club sponsoring a workshop may make arrangements with their regional ATC office to waive the fee.
About certification:
What are the certification levels?
The certification levels for A.T. sawyers are “A” for Apprentice Sawyer and “B” for Intermediate Sawyer. A “C” certification is issued only to instructors. Students who successfully complete a certification course will be sent cards indicating the level of certification achieved. The reverse side of the certification cards lists tasks the sawyer is qualified to perform.
How is the certification level determined?
The course instructor determines certification levels based upon observing a student’s proficiency with the saw during the field portion of the course. At the discretion of the instructor, a student may complete the course and not receive any certification.
How long is the certification valid?
A certification is valid for three years from the date of issue. A sawyer must recertify before the expiration date in order to continue sawing on the A.T.
How can I be recertified?
You may be recertified by successfully completing another course at any time during the three-year certification period.
Are there shorter recertification courses available?
Not at this time. All sawyers in need of recertification must complete another certification course, which will cover additional material, outline new practices, and offer more opportunities for hands-on practice. At some time in the future, ATC may offer courses geared towards already-certified sawyers.
About First-Aid/CPR:
Why are sawyers required to have first-aid/CPR certification?
First-aid and CPR certifications are required of government-employed sawyers by OSHA. Again, under the VIP and VIF agreements, A.T. volunteers working on the Trail are considered government employees for the purposes of medical and tort claims. First-aid and CPR certifications must be current for sawyer certification to be valid.
What type of first-aid and CPR courses are required?
The certification must be from a nationally accredited organization, such as the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO).
Where can A.T. sawyers obtain first-aid/CPR certification?
Sawyers (and other ATC club members) may participate in an ATC or club-sponsored course or one offered by a local organization. A course may be arranged at a time and place convenient for your club. Some clubs have had members who are professional medical providers volunteer their services to teach the courses. Others have held courses at night in conjunction with sawyer training so that volunteers give up only one weekend to obtain both their sawyer and first-aid/CPR certification. Regional ATC staff can work with clubs to arrange courses at convenient locations and times and may have financial assistance available to help off-set course fees.
First-Aid/CPR Certification Options:
Basic First-Aid/Adult CPR courses that fulfill the minimum requirement for A.T. sawyers are available from the American Red Cross.
Cost: approximately $25–65
Other courses that exceed the minimum certification requirements for A.T. sawyers are described below. Your ATC regional office can provide more information or arrange a course. Course descriptions are adapted from Landmark Learning’s Web site. Course costs listed are approximate. For more information on any of the courses listed below, contact your regional office or visit the Web sites listed for courses that may be scheduled in your area:
Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities(SOLO)
SOLO Southeast
National Outdoor Leadership School Wilderness Medical Institute
Wilderness Medical Associates
Basic First Aid/Adult CPR with a wilderness emphasis—an eight-hour customized course that covers the basics and discusses the most common backcountry medical situations.
Cost: $80–120
Wilderness First Aid—a 16-hour course widely considered to be the minimum certification level for outdoor professionals. It covers the basics and in-depth scenarios addressing the most common traumatic, medical, and environmental issues that may occur in the backcountry. The course typically does not include CPR.
Cost: $120 and up
Wilderness First Responder—an 80-hour (or more) course that is rapidly becoming the industry standard for outdoor leaders. It gives in-depth training in trauma, medical, and extreme environmental issues, and the course length allows for ample, hands-on rescue scenarios. The course does not typically include CPR. Students must successfully complete practical and written assessments at the end of the course for certification.
Cost: $700 and up
More Questions?
If your questions about the sawyer training program were not answered here, feel free to contact your local ATC office.
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