Hello! My name is Elmer Weaver and I am an aspiring tree climber and arborist working in wildland fire suppression. I work seasonally as a Chena Hotshot with the Bureau of Land Management's Alaska Fire Service, and have previously served on a wildfire suppression handcrew with the US Forest Service in Idaho, and a prescribed fire crew the US Fish and Wildlife Service in South Carolina. Additionally, I do some freelance prescribed burning with a private consultancy around the Northeast in the fall and spring, and have done trails work and forestry-related project work around the country, as well as a decent amount of gardening.
I spend the off-season (October-April) in New York City and am interested in a second career in arborist work for non-fire season employment, in particular since a member of my hotshot crew this year was a tree climber who worked throughout the northeast, and it sounds like there is a lot of overlap in the desirable skill sets for both jobs, including saw skills, tree identification, outdoor knowledge, medical training, and strong work ethic, all of which I possess. I have worked as a swamper and sawyer and am experienced running and maintaining a Stihl 361, 044, 440, and 460 for directional felling; conventional, Humboldt, and boring back cuts including double cuts; hazard tree assessment and mitigation; snag felling; and the risk management process as it relates to scene size-up for tree removal. Fuels I have cut in include: longleaf pine, turkey/blackjack/post/scrub oak; white/black spruce, alder, willow, aspen, birch; ponderosa pine, douglas/subalpine/white fir, western larch; sagebrush; pinyon-juniper; and elm. I am in excellent physical condition and have done some recreational bouldering/rock climbing. While I don't currently possess a CDL, I have driven commercial box trucks, fire engines of various weights, and water tenders (including an M35 2.5 ton cargo truck) and would be willing to obtain a CDL in the future as it benefits my employer's operations.
While I am not currently fully qualified for any tree climber or arborist positions, I am willing to work my way up by dragging logs or pruning trees on a grounds crew and will enthusiastically accept any duties related to the job if it furthers my education and training in the field and eventually leads to me getting up into trees with a saw. Ideally looking for on-the-job training but would consider attending training courses if it were a prerequisite to apply for a specific position. Based on my current residence in the Bronx, I am primarily interested in applying for positions in New York City and Westchester, but would also consider opportunities in Connecticut and New Jersey within commuting distance. Please contact me by PM for a copy of my resume or if you are interested in speaking to me further. Thanks!
Elmer Weaver
I spend the off-season (October-April) in New York City and am interested in a second career in arborist work for non-fire season employment, in particular since a member of my hotshot crew this year was a tree climber who worked throughout the northeast, and it sounds like there is a lot of overlap in the desirable skill sets for both jobs, including saw skills, tree identification, outdoor knowledge, medical training, and strong work ethic, all of which I possess. I have worked as a swamper and sawyer and am experienced running and maintaining a Stihl 361, 044, 440, and 460 for directional felling; conventional, Humboldt, and boring back cuts including double cuts; hazard tree assessment and mitigation; snag felling; and the risk management process as it relates to scene size-up for tree removal. Fuels I have cut in include: longleaf pine, turkey/blackjack/post/scrub oak; white/black spruce, alder, willow, aspen, birch; ponderosa pine, douglas/subalpine/white fir, western larch; sagebrush; pinyon-juniper; and elm. I am in excellent physical condition and have done some recreational bouldering/rock climbing. While I don't currently possess a CDL, I have driven commercial box trucks, fire engines of various weights, and water tenders (including an M35 2.5 ton cargo truck) and would be willing to obtain a CDL in the future as it benefits my employer's operations.
While I am not currently fully qualified for any tree climber or arborist positions, I am willing to work my way up by dragging logs or pruning trees on a grounds crew and will enthusiastically accept any duties related to the job if it furthers my education and training in the field and eventually leads to me getting up into trees with a saw. Ideally looking for on-the-job training but would consider attending training courses if it were a prerequisite to apply for a specific position. Based on my current residence in the Bronx, I am primarily interested in applying for positions in New York City and Westchester, but would also consider opportunities in Connecticut and New Jersey within commuting distance. Please contact me by PM for a copy of my resume or if you are interested in speaking to me further. Thanks!
Elmer Weaver
