• Availability:  FWS EMPLOYEES / AFFILIATED PERSONNEL ONLY who operates Service-owned, leased, or rented backhoe / loader.  Contact your appropriate Regional Heavy Equipment Coordinator to register for the course.  

• Pre-Requisite:  Completion of the Web-based Heavy Equipment Pre-Class Training course FWS-SAF-HE-PRECLASS-OLT is required prior to attending Heavy Equipment Safety Training.  

• Description:  This course provides the training required in FWS Policy, 321 FW 1, to permit operation of Service-owned, operated, rented, or leased backhoe / loaders and is designed to familiarize employees, volunteers, and partner operators with the safe operation and preventative maintenance of backhoe / loaders.  The course includes classroom and field operation instruction. 

• Objectives:  Provide operators with the skills and knowledge necessary that will allow them to make informed decisions about their own safety, the safety of those around them, and the backhoe / loader.  Also, allows attendees to demonstrate, through written examinations and actual demonstration, that they have the skills and knowledge to safely operate a backhoe / loader in accordance with Service policy, manufacturer specifications and industry standards. 

• Length of Course:  Determined by class size but typically takes 1 day / 8hrs.  Training consists of at least 4 hours classroom study and no less than 1 hour of field operation (seat time) per student 

• NOTE:  Heavy Equipment Operator refresher course is required 3-years after completion of this course in order to maintain authorization to operate. Refer to FWS-SAF-HE-REFRESH-OLT, Heavy Equipment Safety Refresher OLT Course for details.  

FWS Regional Heavy Equipment Coordinators contact information:

National Coordinator (703) 358-2190
John_Blitch@fws.gov

Region 1 & 8  (503) 231-2075 

Region 2 - Ed Bass, (505) 248-6607
Ed_E_Bass@fws.gov

Region 3 - Dale Pittman, (309) 535-3151
Dale_Pittman@fws.gov

Region 4 - Stan Zazado, (404) 398-1855
Stan_Zazado@fws.gov

Region 5 - Bill Starke, (413) 253-8581
Bill_starke@fws.gov

Region 6 - Wade Briggs, (605) 256-1081
Wade_Briggs@fws.gov

Region 7 - Thomas Siekaniec, (907) 786-3344
Thomas_Siekaniec@fws.gov