Hello all-- I'm GroundSquirrel, from Texas, and I'm another lady in the business. I'm a ground 'guy' and I've been doing this for a couple of years. Doesn't make me any kind of an expert by any means, but I did want to share my 2 cents for other women who are giving thought to this line of work.
First-- it's already been said, but I want to acknowledge that as a woman, it's NOT necessary to 'prove' yourself to anyone as long as you have a good work ethic. You don't need to hump huge mounds of brush to make a point. If you are on a good crew, like mine (praise God!)-- what you do will be appreciated so long as you just do your job to the very best of your ability, and make the effort to expand your ability. By that, you ask questions. You ask to learn things. You set your sights a little higher every day and make an honest effort to reach a little higher. You keep your head on a swivel, watch what's happening, keep looking UP, literally, because that's where the action is. Dress for hard, hot and dirty work; there's plenty of time to doll up later. Keep your eyes and your ears open and ALWAYS be mindful of your climber(s). NEVER show up to a job drunk or high, and NEVER 'indulge' on the job-- that's why we have this time called 'after work'. Tree work is dangerous; tree work while messed up is a death wish.
I am a petite woman, and there's no disguising that fact. My crew members and my boss know that. They're also smart enough to know that a 'half ton truck' can't carry as much as a 'one ton', but also wise enough to realize that both 'trucks' are capable of doing useful work so long as they are running right, if you know what I mean. Heck, I'm not even really a 'truck'-- a 'bicycle' is more like it!
But even a bicycle can do things and go places where a truck just won't go. Thus, another poster's point about the 200 pounder on a small limb, versus the smaller and lighter climber. Heck, I'm so light (just over 100 pounds... yes, I said I was little!) that I can't always mash down a stack of brush on the trailer... but I can slip into those tight little places where piles of brush always seem to gather and get the things that are in places too small for our burly men to fit. But despite my size, I can rope down trees and big cuts like the best of them. I do not climb because I have horrible knees (due for replacement in the too-near future). But I can work a chainsaw, stack brush and firewood, haul a wheelbarrow, feed a chipper, tie knots and basically do all the 'boring' little ground things that are so essential.
Why do I say this? Because, everyone admires the climber. That guy, to many observers, is the 'coolest' person on the crew. But in the end, when you pack up the tools and prepare to leave and get that check from the client-- the ground person is the one who ultimately does the clean up work. People might not immediately notice the 'missed' hanger or 'deader' up in the canopy... but they WILL notice the huge mess in their yard. And, they will NOT be pleased! In a sense, then, the ground person is the one who really puts the bows and ribbons on the job. It doesn't matter how professionally the tree is cut-- if the grounds look like C.R.A.P. (can I say that here?) when you leave, you won't get another call from that client-- and word will spread. The ground person is the one who sees that the climber has what is needed to do the job, and gets it when asked. The ground person is the one who sees to it that brush piles are safe and won't blow off a trailer if it's being hauled away.
So starting off as a ground person is nothing to be ashamed of, not at all. For most, it's a fine place to begin to learn the trade... and for 'older' and more 'beat up' folks like me, it's a noble and necessary function. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm proud to be a 'GroundSquirrel'. And NEVER let any buck tell you that women have no business in this business! My boss has hired several women to help out. Some couldn't cut it (ha, get it?
). But a few actually climbed the ropes (ha, I'm on a roll today!) and went on to form their own companies. You definitely need a tough skin to put up with the junk that SOME guys will dish out. My boss actually FIRED another ground guy over sexist remarks, from a guy who actually could not keep up with ME. But do not count on that. Be strong, keep your head up, do your job, show a willingness to work and learn and improve, be part of the team by dressing like one of them and pitching in, learn the basics and learn about SAFETY... and be prepared for hard work. But be prepared for a real satisfying feeling of an honest day's labor in the fresh air.
Sorry for sprawling out like the canopy of an ancient oak... but this was a very pertinent thread to me. Thanks for reading!
~GroundSquirrel
