Safety Gear in the Woods

[Does’ Leap]

Fall and winter means logging for me and my team. As farm work slows, I head to the woods – work that I cherish. Reading about Mitch’s recent mishap in the woods, makes me want to reevaluate my own safety and that of my team. I recently broke down and bought a cell phone. I get no service at my house, but it works ok in the woods. I am nearly always working alone and this offers some measure of safety as I can reach someone if things go really wrong.

I am interested to hear what you all carry to the woods with you (first aid, other supplies, etc.) to make sure you are prepared for the worst. Gear aside, what else do you do to be safe?

George

[Jim Ostergard]

George,
A really good question to pose on here I think. Here in Maine as part of our certification we are required to have a cell phone. We then have a contact number that we call when, “the rubber hits the road” on the way out of the yard each day. They actually recommend two calls a day which I must say I rarely do. The contact person should have your number and any other numbers that can get a rescue going if needed. Also we have posted in the yard and in the truck, an Emergency Action Sheet which has personal info, allergies to meds and numbers to call for rescue if somebody comes in and happens to find you. This also has the location and lat and long of the yard. And instruction such as when talking to emergency responders do not hang up until told to do so.I try and remember to keep the truck turned around and ready to drive out. We have med-flight here which has saved lots of lives in the woods especially up north where the guys are far into the woods. Weird thing with cell phones though is you often get an operator somewhere distant in our state and they have no idea where you are so my instructions are to call our med-flight directly and they make the decision whether it is faster for them or land Emt’s to come in.
I have a pretty extensive first aid kit that has more stuff in it than the loggers kit from Bailey’s or Labonville. Recommended to carry at least 4 triangle bandages and an epi-pen in case of reaction to bee stings.
I think though the ability to contact somebody is the critical thing. I was backing the horse up to hook up to a log one spring and the bare pole loaded with sap that I stepped up on was liked grease. Down went and just before passing out briefly I got a hold of another worker not far away and they called the EMT’s and got the horse back to the trailer. Off I went for a $500 ambulance ride and it turned out to be a very very bad sprain thank goodness. I managed after I got back from the hospital to drive home using the other foot but was laid up for a while.
Hope this helps
Jim O

[Theloggerswife]

Cell Phones work fine if you have a signal. After my husband has had two very scary accidents in the woods he now carries the SPOT GPS, in addition to the cell phone. You can look up the features online, but this seems to be best fit for our needs. This is a satellite system and it works no matter where you are. He takes this on his week long snowmobiling trip in the Maine Allagash Area and it becomes a recreation safety precaution too.

My husband works in the woods everyday alone. He often leaves the cell phone in the truck because he has destroyed or lost so many in the woods in the past few years. The SPOT seems to take a beating.

[Tim Harrigan]

These are good suggestions. I also keep a whistle in my shirt pocket in case I have to make some noise.

[Anonymous]

Like most people I carry a cell phone on me or at my gas can in a plastic ziplock baggy. A first aid kit under my truck seat, a female hygine pad in my helmet in the winter or in a pocket in the summer, and a comp bandage on me as well.

I think the most important things are a cell phone and a pocket knife. Any serious injuries in the woods I’v witnessed the closest things at hand were used. A friend saved his own life by tieing his sweat shirt around his neck after his saw cut from shoulder to ear. Also some cell phones now have GPS so if you call 911 they can locate the phone.I guess all tec isn’t bad.:)

Safe logging

Tristan

[Does’ Leap]

Thanks for the responses. The cell phone will be a good addition. All the logging I do is in my own woods. I let Kristan know where I am headed and when I hope to be back. However, things don’t always go as planned and I am often delayed, so I will be able call and update if necessary.

Jim can you elaborate on what else you have in your first aid kit?

@Jim Ostergard 30031 wrote:

George,
I have a pretty extensive first aid kit that has more stuff in it than the loggers kit from Bailey’s or Labonville. Recommended to carry at least 4 triangle bandages and an epi-pen in case of reaction to bee stings.
Jim O

George

[Jim Ostergard]

George,
I will get it out of the truck tomorrow or over the week-end and put together a list. The warm fire has me settled in until chore time.
Jim

[Author]

Posts