The Tree Care Industry Association serves about 2,400 tree care companies. TCIA, established in 1938, is a third-party trade association that develops and maintains safety programs, standards of operation and continuing-education certifications at the national level.
Cumberland Valley Tree Service and Landscaping became the first TCIA Accredited Tree Care company in the area and has been an accredited TCIA member for more than 20 years.
TCIA Participation and Recent Recognition
Last year Aaron Feather, our Safety and Training Director, published an article in the “TCI Magazine” that informs (and reminds) arborists about the importance of proper base anchoring in stationary rope systems (SRS).
In 2020, Aaron developed a highly technical step-by-step guide titled “How to Apply an SRS Redirect without Unloading Your Primary Suspension Point,” which appeared in the May 2020 issue of Tree Care Industry Magazine.
This year, Cumberland Valley Tree Service and Landscaping was honored as one of six companies selected by TCIA for the Outstanding Company Contribution to Safety Award.
Aaron Feather remarked, “There is no better affirmation than from peers.”
The award cited the company for incorporating “top training programs such as ArborMaster Training, North American Training Solutions, Mike Teti and countless others to facilitate training in conjunction with Aaron Feather.”
The excerpt included on the TCIA website stated “Safety starts at the top of an organization and is carried throughout the rest of the company. The leadership, family atmosphere, commitment to quality and regular training sets Cumberland Valley Tree Service & Landscaping apart from their competition. They live the safety culture.”
Culture in Safety
Aaron Feather leads weekly safety meetings at the company’s Chambersburg office, which is followed by an update from George Pogue, Jr. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aaron adapted to conducting the safety meetings online. “I’ve just been doing as much as I can to try to create content and give people something to go to.”
“There is no better affirmation than from peers,” Feather said. “Also, my position is easy given the managers and staff I get to work with. I’m pretty sure our training budget rivals most companies 3-4 times our size. So please don’t thank me, thank our guys for wanting to work, train, and improve. Also, thank George and Fred for the resources to make these trainings and opportunities available. Without hiring good people and having the freedom to train and equip those people, we would surely fail.”
Tree care is one of the most difficult and dangerous professions so even the smallest advancements can make a big difference.