Jesse C. Abernathy
Superior
Summary
Skilled Tree Trimmer with expertise in precision cutting, safety compliance, and hazard tree assessment. Demonstrates strong time management and adaptability in diverse environmental conditions. Committed to maintaining safety standards while contributing to utility projects and community initiatives. Delivers consistent results in challenging situations.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Journeyman Powerline Tree Trimmer
Asplundh Tree Expert LLC.
Missoula
09.2022 - Current
- Nearly 4 yrs experience as a powerline arborist; the last 1 1/2 yrs I have been a foreman of a 3 man bucket truck/climb crew
- Held a nonrestricted Class B CDL to operate commercial vehicles safely.
- Expert in advanced tree felling and pruning techniques to prevent power outages
- Pruned limbs away from power lines, enhancing safety and compliance with industry standards.
- Worked around high voltage distribution and transmission lines ranging from 7.5 kV to 230 kV
- Familiar with powerline components such as primary and secondary wires, transformers, fuses, and insulators
- Assessed tree health and identified hazardous trees for trimming or removal.
- Performed tree trimming and removal in accordance with safety regulations.
- Operated 70ft. aerial lifts and chainsaws for efficient powerline clearance specs.
- Collaborated with crew members to implement work plans, ensuring timely completion of projects.
- Followed environmental guidelines to minimize ecological impact during operations.
- Utilized climbing gear, chainsaws, pole saws, and other tools for trimming and cutting trees.
- Cleaned up job sites upon completion of work including sweeping debris away from walkways, driveways, lawns.
- Trained new employees on safety practices and operational procedures.
- Responded promptly to emergency calls regarding fallen trees or limbs, minimizing potential hazards and restoring safety.
- Eliminated diseased, damaged, overcrowded or weak branches.
- Worked closely with homeowners, property managers, and the utility company to understand their specific needs regarding tree care and utility specs
- Demonstrated advanced rigging techniques for safe tree removal operations.
- Proficient in both spur climbing and non-spur climbing such as DRT (double rope technique) and SRT (single rope technique
- Inspected properties for potential hazards posed by overgrown vegetation.
- Collaborated with utility companies to trim trees near power lines safely.
- Managed inventory of supplies, including ropes, chainsaws, and personal protective equipment.
- Conducted traffic control setup around work areas to ensure safety of crew and public.
- Removed dead, damaged, or unwanted trees from various properties and public areas.
- Operated chippers for effective brush removal on job sites.
- Followed ISA standards for proper tree pruning to ensure health of trees
- Successfully removed trees from powerlines in complex situations during emergency storm work
Forestry Technician (Handcrew)
Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest
Anaconda
03.2020 - 05.2022
- Promoted to handcrew supervisor for Anaconda Job Corps Fire Suppression Program in March 2020.
- Restructured fire program with fire program manager, identifying necessary equipment and personnel.
- Recruited and hired Job Corps students into fire suppression program through interviews and assessments.
- Developed daily training and operational plans for an 8-20 person fire module.
- Developed and enforced standard operating procedure guide to clarify crew expectations.
- Supervised wildfire operations including fire line construction, fuels reduction, and engine use.
- Coordinated travel arrangements with dispatch centers, facilitating resource order communications.
- Instructed Type 2 firefighters on basic wildland firefighting concepts and safe chainsaw use.
Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Lolo National Forest
Huson
04.2018 - 10.2019
- Assessed and removed hazardous trees as part of Lolo Interagency Hotshot Crew and filled in on saw team in 2019.
- Experienced FFT1 who has served as a lookout, received instructions from supervisors and briefed my squad, made tactical decisions in the field based on current and expected fire behavior, implemented LCES, safety zones, escape routes, and the 10 standard orders and 18 watch out situations
- Filled out general message forms, received supply orders, documented crew time reports, daily logs, in addition to checking in and out with the incident management team on large incidents
- Instructed crew on effective use, maintenance, and safe operation of wildland fire tools (pulaskis, McLeods, chainsaws, rogue hoes, drip torch) during fireline and prescribed fire operations.
- Grade Level: GS-0462-05
- Hours per week: 40+
- Supervisor: Matt Heisler (may contact)
- Phone number: (406) 626-542
- Email: matthew.a.heisler@usda.gov
Forestry Technician (Hotshot/Handcrew)
Lolo National Forest
Missoula
04.2019 - 09.2019
- Worked as an assistant forestry fuels technician, gathered fuel samples, measured fuel moisture content, established boundaries for thinning units, performed inspections on contract fuels crews, and served as a crew lead for hazardous fuel reduction projects
- Collected field data and inventoried fuel beds in multiple areas with fuel variations
- Served as an ignition and holding specialist on prescribed burns and wildfires
- Assisted in monitoring the effects of post prescribed fire operations
- Proficient in the use of GPS tracking, Avenza Maps, and paper maps
- Identified job classification as GS-0462-05
- Tracked work hours exceeding 40 per week
- Supervisor: Greg Anderson (may contact)
- Phone number: (406) 396-1614
- Email: gregory.j.anderson@usda.gov
Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Lolo National Forest
Huson
04.2016 - 10.2017
- Completed FFT1 (Firefighter Type 1) position task book summer of 2016
- Achieved Intermediate Tree Faller (FAL 2) qualification in 2017
- Extensive initial attack fire suppression experience, and assisted with fire line explosive operations
- Assisted in setting up sprinklers and reducing fuel for structure protection tasks
- Performed inventories on all our fire equipment and streamlined our gear for more efficient use
- Assisted district EMTs with medical incidents
- Led squads on fire operations, and delegated tasks to subordinates in relation to projects and district duties
- Implemented timber fuel reduction strategies to mitigate wildfire risks and prescribed burns
- Cutting fuel breaks on fires and removing hazardous trees
- Planned and executed tactical decisions with positive results on fire line operations
- Have received and filled supply orders for local initial attack fires and oversaw transportation for the supplies reaching the incident
- Grade Level: GS-0462-04
- Hours per week: 40+
- Supervisor: Matt Heisler (may contact)
- Phone number: (406) 626-5420
- Email: matthew.a.heisler@usda.gov
Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Lolo National Forest
Plains
05.2015 - 10.2015
- Expanded my skills in fuels mitigation projects in addition to learning the operation of a chainsaw and safe felling procedures. Communicated felling hazards to nearby crew members and implemented proper techniques for thinning and slashing vegetation in a variety of prescription models
- Experienced in BK radio operation. Learned to troubleshoot common problems with transmit, receiving, code guards, toned repeaters, channel scanning, programing, cloning, and hardware malfunctions
- Demonstrated proper use of belt weather kits and submitted spot weather forecasts
- Participated in arduous physical training, in addition to team building exercises such as sand tables and courses set up to find waypoints
- Responded to numerous initial and extended attack fires in both engine modules and Type 2 Initial Attack crews
- Received extensive training in operations such as hoselays, line digging, and progressive saw line
- Assisted in trails maintenance and cutting out hazard trees, reconstructing pathways, and removing fallen timber and overhanging brush
- Grade Level: GS-0462-04
- Hours per week: 40+
- Supervisor: Dave Tingley
- Phone number: (406) 677-3940
- Email: dave.tingley@usda.gov
Education
A.S. - Fire Technology
Butte College
Oroville, CASkills
- Advanced tree pruning
- High voltage safety
- Aerial lift operation
- Rigging techniques
- Hazardous tree assessment
- Crew supervision
- Powerline clearance
- Traffic control setup
- Problem solving
- Emergency response
- Training and mentoring
- Job site safety
- Electrical hazard awareness
- Tree identification
- Aerial lift proficiency
- Pruning techniques
- Safe work practices
- Expert level tree felling
Timeline
Journeyman Powerline Tree Trimmer
Asplundh Tree Expert LLC.
09.2022 - Current
Forestry Technician (Handcrew)
Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest
03.2020 - 05.2022
Forestry Technician (Hotshot/Handcrew)
Lolo National Forest
04.2019 - 09.2019
Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Lolo National Forest
04.2018 - 10.2019
Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Lolo National Forest
04.2016 - 10.2017
Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Lolo National Forest
05.2015 - 10.2015
A.S. - Fire Technology
Butte College