Hello everyone!
My name is Marshall and I am a returning summer intern here at Starker Forests.
Last summer, was a great experience with an awesome crew. I learned more than I could have hoped and I know this summer will build my knowledge even more as I look forward to these next few months with another great summer crew.
A little bit about me, I am going into my fourth year as a student at Oregon State where I am studying forest management. I have lived in Philomath, Oregon, my whole life, so I am ecstatic to be able to work for a company I have known since I was a kid.
The first day of work consisted of Stephen taking us to the Dan Farmer tree farm. There, we went through some chainsaw training with some cut logs on the ground. We then broke out the pole chainsaws, which we used to clean up some broken branches on trees that were visible to hikers. This area is a popular spot for recreation.
Later in the week, Stephen and Reese showed us the ins and outs of the Starker fire trucks (one of which I got to drive!). We learned about where all the hoses, attachments, and other equipment are stored as well as how to use the water pumps.
On Friday of the first week, we had our CPR and first-aid training. The second week, the four of us interns were off to fire school, hosted by ODF at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. Robert (another intern) and I had each taken the level 1 classes last summer, so he and I were in the level 2 classes this year. We learned about the responsibilities of a wildland firefighter, safety protocols while on the job, decision making, fire investigation, and we ended with a leadership class that involved some leadership games to conclude the courses on Friday afternoon. It was a great experience meeting some of the ODF personnel and learning about some of the things involved with wildland firefighting.
I am excited about week three, which will bring our introduction to stocking surveys for the summer!