September is Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month, and it’s the month that most hunters head back to the woods to hang stands in preparation for the upcoming hunting season. Tree Stand Safety Awareness Foundationxe2x80x99s (TSSA) mission is to significantly reduce tree stand accidents through promotion, education and best practices, and the goal is to reduce the estimated number of incidents 50% by 2023. TSSA strives to ensure that every hunter comes home safe to their family and friends.
TSSA has designed an educational campaign called the xe2x80x9cABCxe2x80x99s of Tree Stand Safetyxe2x80x9d to serve as the building blocks to the awareness campaign (see infographic). The goal this year is to distribute at least 500,000 (print and electronic) to promote the safe use of tree stands. Please let the TSSA know if you are able to assist in meeting this goal through electronic distribution.
A) Always remove and inspect your equipment.
B) Buckle on your full-body harness.
C) Connect to the tree before your feet leave the ground.
By performing these three simple steps, tree stand users can virtually eliminate their risk of falling to the ground as the majority of falls occur outside the stand. TSSA encourages all hunters to take tree stand safety seriously, every time you hunt from, hang or remove a tree stand.
TSSA is also excited to share that they are continuing to see positive changes in the estimated numbers of falls that require emergency care on a national level. Based on the 2018 data, there were an estimated 3,001 tree stand falls requiring an emergency department visit. This reflects a decrease of 46.5% (2010xe2x80x932018) in the number of estimated falls requiring an emergency department treatment (source: NEISS, 2018). This significant drop in the estimated number of falls reflects the industry wide efforts of Treestand Manufacturer’s Association (TMA), National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF), Whitetails Unlimited (WTU), International Hunter Education Association (IHEA), National Deer Alliance (NDA), state Departments of Natural Resources (DNRs), our supporting partners, TSSA and others focusing on tree stand safety.
While the TSSA is making great progress, itxe2x80x99s important that we continue the industry efforts to support this momentum and meet or exceed our goal of reducing the estimated number of incidents 50% by 2023. To accomplish this, letxe2x80x99s get the season started by putting safety first.
Hunters and members of the industry alike can help spread the message of the TSSA Foundation. Visit the TSSA website, Facebook or Twitter.
Follow This Critical Guide to Tree Stand Safety
