Oregon State Police trains, equips Fish and Wildlife troopers with chainsaws

Many times the OSP is first on the scene of natural disasters, and has to clear downed trees from roads.

Here's what they said in their Facebook post this week:

Oregon State Police's new chainsaw program within the Fish & Wildlife Division is coming in clutch.

Oregon's law enforcement, along with fire, medical, and transportation departments are the first to respond to natural disasters. Natural disasters, that range from forest fires, snowstorms, windstorms, and flooding.

The 2019 winter storms and flooding and the 2020 wildfire season highlighted the critical role law enforcement plays in the State of Oregon’s response to a natural disaster.

OSP routinely were putting our law enforcement officers into harm’s way without an effective tool to help others or save themselves. Members of the Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division were heavily utilized during these natural disaster events because of their knowledge of the road systems, rivers, four-wheel-drive vehicles, and their specialty vehicles like jet boats, ATVs, and UTVs.

The Oregon State Police recognized this and invested in equipping and training its members of the Fish and Wildlife Division in the use of chainsaws. In less than a year, from concept to full deployment, the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division put together a comprehensive chainsaw program that includes training, safety equipment, and a chainsaw. The Fish and Wildlife Division deployed 97 chainsaws to its field personnel in February and into March.

Since their short time in the field, OSP Troopers have assisted the Oregon Department of Transportation in opening State Highways during wind and snowstorm events and the clearing of rural and forest roads that are often lifelines for smaller communities. On April 5, Senior Trooper Rice and Recruit Trooper Gray used a chainsaw to cut a 32” round pine tree off the 3752 Mainline. The 3752 Mainline runs from Bly to Dog Lake and is the main route of travel for residents.