ROANOKE, Va. - September is Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month. It’s the month most hunters start heading back to the woods to either put up stands or begin hunting. Hunting from a tree stand is a safe and enjoyable way to hunt as long as we follow a few basic safety principles called the ABCs of Tree Stand Safety. Thanks to a concerted effort from across the outdoors and hunting industries, we have seen a significant reduction (40% in the last 4 years of the estimated number of tree stand falls requiring emergency care). However, now is not the time to become complacent.
This fall, TSSA has three major initiatives underway. First, we have expanded the ABCs of Tree Stand Safety to include the letter “D.” The “D” stands for share your “Destination.” Each year we see reports of where hunters involved in tree stand incidents could not be located for hours and for some the next day. In a trauma or medical Emergency every single minute counts.
Always remove and inspect your equipment
Buckle on your full-body harness
Connect to the tree before your feet leave the ground
Destination share your stand location before every hunt
“By practicing these four simple steps, you can fully enjoy your tree stand hunting experience and come home safe to your family and friends,” according to TSSA President Glen Mayhew. If you don’t have your full-body harness, DON’T CLIMB and hunt from the ground.
Second, we value the contributions and feedback we receive from our volunteer hunter educators across the country. One such piece of feedback was a request to make the ABCs of Tree Stand Safety interactive. We are in the final stages of editing video content to make the platform more engaging and informational.
Lastly, we will be announcing a huge hunt giveaway in mid-September which will focus on bring more awareness to tree stand safety. More details to come.
Hunters and members of the industry alike can help spread the message of the TSSA Foundation, and September is Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month. Visit the TSSA on social media at www.facebook.com/Treestandsafetyawareness and www.twitter.com/treestandsafety or our website www.Treestandsafetyawareness.org .
TSSA Foundation is a grassroots 501(c)(3) organization that serves the industry as a resource with its sole focus on significantly reducing tree stand accidents through promotion, education and best practices. For more info on the SSA Foundation, contact Glen Mayhew, President, at TreeStandSafe@gmail.com; 540-526-5157 or Jay Everett at jay@hssvest.com; 256-773-7732.