In Westchester Tree Life’s dedicated effort to further cultivate its ever broadening culture of safety, teamwork, professionalism and arboriculture, its employees recently engaged in its annual ACRT Urban Forestry Training.

In early December, the entire company went to Wagon Wheel Camp in Chappaqua, NY to participate in several safety training, safety awareness and teamwork building exercises during a three day collective.  ACRT professional, Keith Norton, lead classes in line clearance operations, electrical hazards, aerial rescue, knot tying skills, tree identification and much more.  Once employees successfully completed the training they became certified (or, re-certified) Line Clearance Arborists.

As an employee of Westchester Tree Life and a ISA certified, tree-care safety professional, I will be the first to say that the knowledge we attain during this training is not only invaluable in the field but in other aspects of life as well.  During the three days we spent about half of our time learning in the classroom and the other half outdoors participating in guided, interactive tutorials.  We saved dummies from trees in mock aerial rescues, engaged in climbing skills tests that stress a full spectrum of safety awareness, participated in electrical safety exercises involving all aspects of associated risk potentials—all while under the seasoned eye of ACRT professionals.  

This training helps to build a culture of safety, teamwork, camraderie and mindfulness as well as instilling a framework of problem solving skills that extend into many other areas of life.  Westchester Tree Life is more than just a company; it is a synergistic family, that is actively concerned with the well being of its members, and the community around it.