Tag Archives: wireless worker

Do or Die! Are you in over your head?

August 20, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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Qualifications, do you think that just because you climb towers you are qualified to do anything on the tower? What does your company bid on? Does your crew install dishes or LTE arrays or broadcast antennas or stack towers or strengthen towers? Do you know if you are qualified to do this work on the tower? Did your boss assign your crew a job that you know you are not qualified to do? Did you read the paperwork before you started? Are you in over your head? Is it do or die? No, it isn’t! Because if you are not prepared to pull that load up the tower then maybe you should say something to whoever is running the show. Either get the right crew with the right tools or get another company in there to do it!

You company should not be bidding on anything with a dollar sign. Like Clint Eastwood said as Harry Callahan in “Magnum Force”, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” It was much cooler when Clint said it, but you get the idea! Do you know your limitations? Did you plan on lifting such a heavy and large load? Do you know the ratings on your ropes, blocks, shackles, straps, and all associate hardware? Do you? Do you know how to mount to the tower? How about what to mount to on the tower? Do you mount to a small cross member for a large load? Can you tag the load out with the people you have? Ask yourself, can I do this with the people I am working with? Answer honestly!

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Listen, some companies bid on work because they need the work, not always because they can do the work.Reputation is big in this industry so that is why when something happens they need to correct it immediately. Accidents happen and most people can forgive, but you need to work extra hard to earn forgiveness and avoid a repeat in the future. If you are good at what you do, then the word of mouth should help you out.

There is a lot of speculation about how prepared a crew was recently and if they should have been doing this work because of an accident. Could it have been prevented or was it a faulty piece of hardware? If you read this then you can probably guess what accident I am talking about. If you don’t know then go here.

So if you are the one bidding on the work you had better know what your crews can handle. Do they fly dishes or cell mounts? Do they erect towers? If so what kind and how big? Do you think you can do it all? Think again. How experienced is the crew that will be doing the work? How confident are they? How smart are they? How smart are you? All questions that should be asked prior to the responding to the offer.

You see, the thing here is if you are wrong, it may not be a bad day but a funeral. It may cost someone more than a damaged reputation! Think about it. That is why I am in favor of not only experience and learning, but understanding your limitations. If you have worked on something similar than you will understand what is involved and the risks! If you are getting into something new, then it would be a good idea to hire someone who knows what they are doing and get the equipment to handle the job. Plan it out. Read the SOW, look at the BOM, understand you equipment’s ratings. Know what you have and what you will be doing by making a plan.

If something goes wrong, OSHA will look at the people doing the work and that company who is doing the work, but I am thinking they should go beyond that, end to end. Tower owners to the end customer so they know all the factors involved. I am pretty sure that someone at OSHA is looking at this rolling their eyes because they are overworked, but I think once they get the system in place then it will benefit everyone. Once the standards and requirements are set then they will roll it out to the industry. For the tower crews it will probably mean more paperwork to qualify everyone and that will mean more costs for the customer because it will not be free. We all know that paperwork means more money. We also know that it may weed out some of the crews that should not be out there in the first place. It may get ugly before it gets pretty again.

Did someone ask how to use a Capstan properly?

Hey, great resource for Capstan winches from GME Supply, and no, I do not get any type of kickback! I just think this is an excellent resource for someone using a capstan. Kudos to GME Supply for putting this out! I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier! Presented by Keith Willey of Hubbell Power Systems. Great job Keith! It’s all about the drag!

If you prefer to keep your comments private, let me have it!

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

OSHA Cites S & S Communication Specialists, Inc.

August 2, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

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I am not sure if you saw but OSHA issued some citations. Here is some information.

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S&S Communication Specialists, Inc has a serious citation for the way in which they removed the diagonals. This is all for the accident at the tower site that was at 9141 Murphy Rd, Clarksburg, WV. Proposed penalty #1 is $7,000 for not using temporary braces or supports. Citation #2 is another “Serious” citation for the attachment of personal fall arrest equipment not capable of supporting at least 5,000 lbs. Issued on July 23^rd. Total of $14,000 for both citations. S&S has 15 days from July 23^rd to respond.

If you remember back on Feb 1^st that 2 workers and a firefighter died when 2 towers collapsed, Kyle Kirkpatrick, 32, from Hubert, Ok, and Terry Lee Richard, 27, of Bokoshe, Ok. May they rest in peace. Also, a firefighter that was called to the scene also died when a second tower collapsed during the rescue attempt. He was Michael Dale Garret, 28, if the Nutter Fort firefighter of Clarksburg, WV. May he rest in peace.

I am reading in one article, WBOY.com that they account for 9 deaths in 2014 attributed to tower work.

Citation: http://media.wvgazette.com/static/watchdog/S%20and%20S%20OSHA%20Citations.pdf

So what are you going to do? Make sure you can do the work if necessary!

What do you think of the citations? Let me know ASAP! Don’t tell me you can’t reach out to me! Facebook, wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave a comment or leave a message at 510-516-4283

I wrote a blog on the OSHA hoist update and about this accident a few time here and here.

Articles:

http://www.charlestondailymail.com/article/20140731/DM01/140739839/1276

http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2014/07/31/no-nothing-is-changing-cell-tower-worker-deaths-continue/

http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20140731/GZ01/140739837/1101

http://wvmetronews.com/2014/07/31/company-cited-for-february-tower-collapse-in-harrison-county/

http://www.news9.com/story/26173091/ok-company-cited-for-fatal-cell-tower-collapse

http://www.wdtv.com/wdtv.cfm?func=view&section=5-News&item=Company-Cited-for-Cell-Tower-Collapse-That-Killed-3-People-17298

http://www.newson6.com/story/26173091/ok-company-cited-for-fatal-cell-tower-collapse

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/local/x197379160/Company-cited-in-fatal-tower-collapse

http://www.wboy.com/story/26164919/oklahoma-cell-tower-contractor-cited-in-fatal-clarksburg-tower-collapse

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2014/07/25/osha-changes-enforcement-stance-on-communication-towers.aspx

http://wvmetronews.com/2014/07/31/company-cited-for-february-tower-collapse-in-harrison-county/

Other information!

Remember that the Hubble Foundation needs your support. Show you care for the families of the fallen and the fellow climbers in need. They still have tickets to the car giveaway! Support Hubble, honor the fallen, and maybe win a Mustang! By the way, how much did you give today?

I am working on 2 new projects, a new book that outlines my different jobs in the industry and a library of reference material that you can access quickly to take to the site. I want to see you make the site safer with quick reference material. If you have any idea of what you need out there let me know. Show me you care, Facebook, wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave a comment or leave a message at 510-516-4283

My Books on Kindle:

My PDF books on Sellfy, Pay with PayPal:

My PDF books on GumRoad, Pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Looking for work? Survey says:

July 30, 2014 Wade

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Hello all,

I have the results from the job search survey!

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So before I begin, remember that OSHA has a heat index app for iPhone and Android at https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/heat_app.html so you know what you’re getting into that day!
So looking for a tower job? I did a survey, found at http://wade4wireless.com/2014/06/11/tower-climbers-where-do-you-look-for-work-survey-time/ that I have been asking for results for the last several weeks. I had over 200 votes on the survey and I had about 50 people reach out to me via Facebook and email.

At the bottom were a few that people responded to;
- Local newspaper, it seems only 2 people use this anymore.
- Send me a message – many people just reach out to me. All I can do is post it people.
- Craigslist – near the bottom with 5 votes
- Generic job search sites – near the bottom with about 7 votes
The RCR Wireless website, http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/, uses http://www.telecomcareers.net/ and that had some noticeable votes.
Tower Climber Company websites – this seemed to be a standard resource. I think that most people go directly to the companies for work. I had about 12% here.
Tower job search sites – this is where most people would write in. Write in votes:
- Wireless Estimator of http://www.wirelessestimator.com/helpwanted.cfm was the overwhelming choice here and all I can say I am sorry I didn’t add it as one of the choices. I should have had this as a choice! Sorry guys at Wireless Estimator, your site has so much on it that I forgot that you can also get a job there. If anyone wants to learn more about the industry it is a great place for news and updates and there are so many tools there for work. It’s a great resource.
- I had another write in, http://www.towerclimber.com/ that was there as well.
#3 on the survey – LinkedIn – had a few more votes but not many, I know that many of you use this for job search and many companies put the information on LinkedIn. If you didn’t read it then take the time to look at http://wp.me/p3OC6A-dQ and build your resume and background on LinkedIn. It takes some time but it will be worth your while if you start job searching.
#2 on the survey – Facebook – this got 15% of the vote. Many of you look for work on Facebook, this was the #2 choice and I know that I see many job postings on there as well. Facebook is a huge resource for this kind of thing. If you’re not in one of the many tower groups then maybe you should start joining. There are so many tower climbing and tower climber groups. It is a good resource for tower workers.
# 1 on the survey! Word of mouth – this was #1 with over 20% of the vote. Apparently most people rely on word of mouth to get a job. I would be willing to bet that Facebook plays a part in this. In today’s world many people reach out to friends, but it’s not always a phone call, it could be on Facebook or LinkedIn or an email.

So I hope this helps, let me know what you think and tell me where you look for work!

Get a JOB!
http://youtu.be/yR6A-Bk9eZQ

Other information!

My Books from Amazon, Shameless plugs:

My books on Sellfy, PDF, PayPal:

My books on GumRoad, PDF, Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Small Cell Deployment – 8 tips on partnership.

July 23, 2014 Wade

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Hello all,

Small Cell deployments will present you with many issues. Make sure that you have the right partnerships in place. What partnerships do you think you need? Well, I made a quick list to help you deploy. Remember that this is high level but I wanted you to know what to think about before bidding on this work.

Site Acquisition partnerships. Remember that the site acquisition teams will be critical in this industry because they are going to find hundreds to thousands of poles and buildings to hang these things on. You should be clear who you are working with and make sure you know all the details of where you are mounting. If you are mounting on poles it would be great to be consistent with the height and cable runs. This will save you so much time in the long run. More on this in the future.
Original Equipment Manufacturers will be the equipment makers and if you don’t know how to install, ground, and power the unit, things will get ugly. If they have a certification program make sure that you take it. If they have installation documentation make sure you get it and look at prior to the installation. If the installation is done wrong it has serious implications causing you to go back out to repair or the carrier to replace or the warranty to be void. You should know what is expected way before you drive to the site.
Deployment vendors. I know you may think this is crazy because you are a deployment company, but chances are for you to be competitive you will work in a region. So you may have to work with a vendor that interfaces with the customer on a nationwide deployment. You will need to be clear with what territory you cover. Make sure they are clear on what you can install and what you can maintain. Maintenance will be something that you can make recurring revenue if you sign up for it.
End customer. By end customer I mean the actual carrier that you are installing for. Your customer may be a large vendor or a site acquisition firm or maybe the carrier itself. Whoever it is make sure you know all of their install requirements. Remember that each company has different rules for installation and testing and sign. It is nice to get paid for what you have done and if you didn’t follow a proper process they could withhold payment or make you go out to each site again to do something that would have taken 5 minutes the first time. It’s your costs that get hit!
Backhaul companies. This is something that you may not have direct contact with but you should know what they want you to install and how to install it. Know what fiber is expected and where they terminate and what connectors they may want on their end. If you don’t think it matters, you may wind up making a second trip when you need to get more fiber connectors. Also, just because it’s a cable company doesn’t mean that it’s going to be DOCSIS. You really need to make sure you know the backhaul provider and type of backhaul. Remember that it could even be wireless backhaul. You could be in one city connecting up 5 different backhaul companies and 5 different types. Make sure you look it over before you go out to do the installation.
Distributors and suppliers. Make sure you are able to get more connectors if you need them. It’s not likely that Home Depot or Lowes will have fiber connectors that you need, (Graybar maybe if one is close but don’t count on it). If you need RG6 or RJ45 connectors, great. Make sure your distributor of choice will overnight something to you even if you are in a hotel. Make sure you know what to order so you don’t wind up waiting another day when you get the wrong part. You probably have been there and it really sucks.
Lift rental companies. If you don’t have your own bucket trucks or JLG lifts, then you may want to know who the local company is to rent. Look at rates and locations and support. If you can pick it up locally maybe you save some money. Also, if you rent a bigger truck, do you need to have a CDL to drive it? You will look pretty stupid showing up to get it and they ask for your CDL and you don’t have one. I had to get one to drive our trucks and buckets where I worked. Also, know the difference between the CDLs, I had the basic without the air brake certification. By the way, if you’re reading this and asking what a CDL is, maybe you should start looking into other work. You may not need it but you should know what it is. A ladder will only be one of your tools and a bucket truck may be another.
Project managers. I am not sure what project manager you will be working with, it may be a PM company hired to manage the deployment, it may be the vendor who hired you, the site acquisition company, the OEM, or the end customer. Make sure you have a good relationship with the PM because they will be directing you and managing your work. They may control your signoff to get paid. They may be the ones who have all of the paperwork about the sites from the surveys. Remember that the PM wants you to complete all the installations quickly and without errors. So you both are partners with an interest in success.

You can’t do it alone! You need more than you think, just ask Navin from the movie “The Jerk”, (Steve Martin) who didn’t think he needed anything;

Don’t forget to take the poll for jobs!

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Would You, Could You Rescue Your Fellow Climber?

July 16, 2014 Wade

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Hey, this week I want to discuss something that has been on the minds of so many tower workers out there. Would you rescue a fellow climber in trouble? In recent news there have been several stories that someone was left hanging until the fire department arrived to perform the rescue. The good news is that they all are alive today, so all’s well that ends well. Getting home alive really matters when things go wrong. You may forget what matters until you are confronted with a terrible situation.

So back to the point, would you rescue a coworker? Could you rescue a coworker in trouble? I reached out to several groups, and everyone I with thinks that this should be the policy. I have to tell you, everyone I heard from, and talked too said yes. Not one person said they would wait for the rescue team unless absolutely necessary. However, the one comment I got on my blog when the guy was hanging over the edge of the platform on the monopole was that the guy went home alive and he felt the crew did the right thing. I didn’t forget that and that is why I said something in the beginning, they are all alive. That is so important so I am so happy the fire departments have high rescue, really, I thank GOD for that. They are alive. I don’t know why the coworkers didn’t make an attempt but they seemed to do the right thing. Their coworkers are alive.

I need to know, is there a policy out there that would have people not make the attempt? Most of the older tower climbers are well versed in rescue. Did that change? I even heard from a few people with the carriers, (who were not happy that I brought up the whole “carriers devalue climbing” issue) said that everyone on site should be able to do rescue.

I was on a forum of guys that do high tower work and all of them said overwhelmingly that they would attempt the rescue if they felt it was safe. Remember that you need to be prepared. Prepared? What does that mean? I will tell you, prepared in training, rope, safety, gear, and control. Control of your emotions and actions.

I have to tell you I was trained by Winton Wilcox of the old ComTrain. Regardless of what you think of ComTrain, Winton’s training and advice was invaluable to me. He went through so many scenarios of what could happen, especially if someone was irrational or not willing to let you help them. Remember that they could panic like someone drowning. I don’t know if any of you know much about being a lifeguard, but I took all of that training when I was you and they went through the same actions because people panic. People panic, people become irrational in terrible situations, people go crazy. No joke, not good, people panic. Are you prepared to deal with that? I was because Winton went through that as one of the scenarios.

Would you save someone who would rather fight you than help you rescue them? Could you be kind enough to give them a right hook to calm them down? Could you do it? Could you take the time to rig the tower with a rope for descent and a rope for safety before helping the person? Could you be the rational person on site? I know you say yes now, but if you listened to the Trauma podcast with Lane Falkner then you know it’s not so easy. Could you work on someone’s injury much less pull them from a tower? I would imagine most of you would think a lifeguard has it easy, but when you see them pull someone from the water and save someone, then what do you think? To pull someone from a tower is real work and you have to be very confident to do it. It takes practice and confidence. Practice? That is where the training comes in, practice. Pay attention! If you practice you would be more ready because then you are prepared. If you are prepared then you can adapt to the situation. If you can improvise then you can adapt to the situation. Once you know how to adapt then you can overcome the obstacles and issues and fear. Improvise, adapt and overcome is said by the marines because if you are prepared you can do it. The marines don’t say it for nothing, they say it because it becomes a way to survive and help your partner survive.

With all of that said, if you can’t do the rescue, call for help! If your company has a no rescue policy, then maybe you should wonder why you work for them.

So would you? I don’t think that is the right question! I think the right question is could you? What is the situation? What is your capability? What equipment and ropes do you have? What help do you have? Did you already call for help? You should always call for help right away! Just do it! Does anyone on the crew have enough experience to help a coworker out. Experience, now there’s something that we should think about. Many of you that read this have experience with climbing, but do you have enough experience in rescue? When is the last time you took a rescue class? When is the last time you practiced rescue? When is the last time you pulled someone off the tower? Do you think that rescue practice is a waste of time? Then get another job!

Climbing should be for people who care and have a passion for the job. If you’re in it just to kill time then maybe you should think twice about your future. There is no shame in finding something you enjoy. Unfortunately most of these young men that are in accidents seem to really like the job, which makes writing this so hard. Many of them dies doing something they love. It’s too late for them but if you happen to go to a tower where seasoned veterans are working then make a point to learn from them.

Climbing and tower work isn’t for everyone. Rescue isn’t for everyone. Thank GOD for the Fire Departments learning high rescue and rope rescue, I have some links below.

Show me you care, Facebook, wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave a comment.

Don’t forget to take the poll for jobs!

OSHA Issues citations to company telling workers to free climb:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=26346

Old news of workers who waited for Fire department to be rescued:

http://www.ngwinnett.com/news/gwinnett-firefighters-rescue-man-injured-while-working-on-cell-tower-1461046

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/gwinnett-co-worker-injured-partial-fall-cell-tower/ngHyz/

Fire departments being trained for rope rescue:

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2014/06/firemen_receive_tower_rescue_t.html

http://www.clarkstonnews.com/Articles-News-i-2014-07-16-255536.113121-sub-Firefighter-pulls-heavy-duty.html

http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Firefighters-Build-Trust-with-Rope-and-Tower-Training-266941891.html

Something to think about courtesy of OSHA;

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Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Requesting more survey participants! Tower Climbers: where do you look for work? Survey time!

July 12, 2014 Wade

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Hey Tower climbers, let me know where would you look for work?

Updated: request more votes in the survey. Looking for more votes!

Be safe, be smart, and pay attention!

Let me know what’s going on, Facebook, email, or comments below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZXYiuFEldM

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Interview, Part 2, with Dr Bridgette “Gette” Hester, founder of the Hubble Foundation

July 11, 2014 Wade

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Hello all,

OK all, this was a long interview, but it is worth the wait! Gette is a wealth if information for the tower industry, and yet she is not a climber. However, she did climb just to see what it was like. She’s got guts, I’ll give her that!

Part 2 podcast here for website, here for download.

Comments welcome below or at Wade4Wireless Facebook page or on Twitter.

From the Hubble Foundation’s Inspiration page;

The Climber’s Protection Prayer
While Psalm 91 applies to all of us, I believe that this Psalm is especially poignant for climbers and their families. Often times, the families feel like they have no control over their loved ones in the industry.
This is simply not true. Your greatest defense and protection of your loved one is through Prayer!

My Refuge and My Fortress
Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his opinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place
the Most High, who is my refuge
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.

Hubble Foundation http://www.hubblefoundation.org/ and go to the donate section where you can donate a tax-deductible donation or buy something from the store. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HubbleFoundation for more support. They have tickets left for the car giveaway that you need to get in on, so go to the Hubble Foundation website and get some tickets to win a Mustang!

Godwink: On the Wings of Butterflies

The cover has Mike V’s hand on it with a butterfly. Pretty cool photo.

NATE – http://natehome.com/

PA Wireless Association, http://www.pa-wireless.org/ is a group that really helped Gette out with the fundraising aspect. Then the following groups pitched in;

http://www.gawireless.org/

https://txwa.org/

http://www.vawireless.org/

http://calwa.org/

My Books;

Tower Climbing: An Introduction

buy

Field Worker’s Aid for Tower Site Work

buy

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Beware! The Tick Attacks! Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Interview with Kevin Kidd.

June 17, 2014 Wade

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Beware the killer ticks, well, at least they can make you sick. Those silent hazards are out there wireless workers! So that little tick can cause huge problems! How about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to start. I did a story about Bruce Holsted that explained how RMSF almost ruined his life. Now I have another person, Kevin Kidd also went through a similar ordeal. He too is in the tower industry. Listen to his story on my podcast!

Kevin is a broadcast engineer that works at tower sites for a living. He suffered Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) and I asked that he share his experience so you know what to look for and recognize the symptoms in case you get it. Ticks are more common than you think so here is a good podcast to explain what happened to Kevin and how he found out he had this disease. Sorry about the audio but it was on his cell. Kevin is very busy and I am so grateful he took the time to talk to me

If you go to this site http://www.medicinenet.com/rocky_mountain_spotted_fever_pictures_slideshow/article.htm you will see a good explanation of the ticks and the disease. They also give hints on how to remove the tick safely and disinfect your wound after the tick is removed. Then save it in case you get sick. Put it in a zip lock bag or pill bottle and freeze it. This will give you something to take to the doctor and explain that you have a tick bite. That may help them diagnose the problem.

Kevin’s information is;

Kevin C. Kidd, CSRE/AMD
WD4RAT
mailto:kkidd@kkbc.com
KK BROADCAST ENGINEERING
http://www.kkbc.com
AM GROUND SYSTEMS CO.
http://www.amgroundsystems.com

Some links that may help explain this tick bite disease.

http://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_spotted_fever

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/basics/definition/con-20032780

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/rocky.html

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever

http://www.wbiw.com/local/archive/2014/06/officials-warning-about-ticks.php

On this one you need to scroll down to the article. http://www.onhealth.com/rocky_mountain_spotted_fever/article.htm#rocky_mountain_spotted_fever_rmsf_facts

NATE has a Planning Advisory Notice (PAN) for safety, http://natehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/PAN-NOV-DEC-2013.pdf and the main page for all NATE PANs is here, http://natehome.com/safety-education/planning-advisory-notice-pan/ if you’re interested. They have PANs for ANSI/TIA 1019-!-2012, Antenna Installations, Mounts and Inspections, FAA Aviation Obstruction Lighting, and Anchor Bolts.

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

A Few Notes, Questions, and Thank You Gette! Blog Cast, Podcast.

June 14, 2014 Wade

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So this week I have been busy trying to align some interviews with some people about the RF radiation issues I have been talking about. It takes time and I just can’t seem to get them aligned just yet. I am also reaching out to get more information on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If you know of another subject I should be talking about let me know. I know we are all awaiting an update from OSHA on the tower climbing standards they said they would add. This is something that I personally can’t wait to see. Below I mention some things that were important to me. I put in some Amazon affiliate links to show each of you the books. You can buy it wherever you like.

By the way, let’s all thank Dr Gette Hester for the outstanding work she is doing at www.hubblefoundation.org and the appreciation that FOX 54 is showing her, http://www.fox54.com/story/25755959/local-non-profit-provides-support-to-families-of-cell-tower-accidents if you have time. I have a signed copy of her book Godwink, On the Wings of Butterflies, and I just loved it! It is not for the faint of heart, OK? It starts out with the accident and talks about her feelings as well as what happened to those people on the tower. Gette is an awesome person! Thank you Gette for your work and thank God for you! By the way, Gette looks great on TV!

Hey tower climbers, did you fill out my survey at http://wp.me/p3OC6A-hS so I know how you look for work? Let me tell you why I want to know, so when all of you come to me asking for work I can tell you what to do. Now it’s a crap shoot. None of you really ask for websites but you ask who is hiring. I can only speculate and try to find a good fit. I hope all of you get work and learn more at each job!

I know I have said it before but I am reading a good book, The Tower Builder by Vicky Kaseorg, which is now $7.99. It’s really about climbers and some classic towers and tower companies. It’s about the tower climbing industry from an outsider’s perspective but with several insiders talking her through the process and history of tower building.

I just saw a new book written by Adam Beck called 7 Knots and Hitches, Rigging Antennas & Lines, it’s a hard copy that you can take with you and it’s for the tower industry. I didn’t buy it yet, but I plan too soon. I know you guys love knots and it seems everyone needs to learn about knots.

Hey, if you’re just starting out then take a chance and read my book, Tower Climbing: An Introduction to learn what you are in for. I wanted to give new climbers an idea of what the job will have in store for them. I also came out with a Field Worker’s Aid if you’re interested.

Are you looking out for your coworker? With all of the near miss accidents that the fire department is being called. I am thankful for no tower climber deaths in the past few months, thank you for taking the time to be safe. Remember that it’s a team effort and that you need to keep an eye on each other to make sure that there is something that the other guy may have missed. Remember that God is watching but God won’t catch you! You need to make sure that the accident doesn’t happen in the first place! This is a brotherhood where all of you need to look out for each other at the job site. Watch over your coworker like his life depended on it. Would you want him or her to do the same? I know that there have been some near misses that the fire companies have been rescuing people. So here is where I need your feedback. We used to rescue people that were stuck on a tower ourselves, but lately the fire companies are the key people and I am grateful that they are here to help. I am curious if there is a change in policy that won’t allow climbers to rescue their own. Does anyone know? Let me know by email at wade4wireless@gmail.com or Facebook or in the comments section.

That’s it for this week, so be smart, be safe, and don’t be stupid!

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

A Story of RF Radiation Poisoning, Blogcast Podcast.

June 7, 2014 Wade

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Hello everybody. I have something special for you today. I have an interview with someone who had RF Radiation poisoning. I wrote a blog a few weeks back that had information in it about the climber that got RF poisoning years ago. His name is Bruce Elle and he was kind enough to let me interview him and broadcast it on my Blog Cast podcast. You can listen to it here or get it on iTunes. It is over an hour so it’s not something that you can fly through.

I did edit out some swear words, the best I could. This is an adult conversation so be aware not to have children around for this. It is over an hour so make time to listen.

Bruce and I have a goal of alerting people of the hazards of RF radiation.We would like make sure you get the point that safety matters. Although we jump around in our conversation we want to drive home that the more you know the more you respect yourself. Respect yourself by looking for ways to keep you healthy, now and in the long run. You have the tools available to ensure that you will be safe barring a major failure, which happens in this business.

We start out by going into Bruce’s background as a climber and the history of the climbing business. Many people think that the way things are now is how it’s always been. Let me tell you it has come a long way. The advances in climbing and safety have been greatly advance through training and education. The thing about climbers is that they hate to change the way they do things. So the key is to show them how it will help them improve their work and be safer. It is hard to slow down a seasoned climber because they want to race up the tower and get the job done. The focus is changing now to make sure that the job is not only done right but safety is the focus.

Focus, this is one thing that we all seem to have a problem with today. When you are going to head up the tower you need to have focus. Someone needs to be looking out for you. That is why I say the crew needs to work together, so that each person is looking for something that they other person may have missed. But, back to the interview.

Bruce talks about how he climbed up the tower that day he got radiated. He was working on the antenna 550 feet up in the air. This was in February and he was sweating while sitting on the antenna. The beacon was on the antenna. For all of you guys that do cellular work may not understand that broadcast antennas were huge and the beacons were on the antenna itself. The antenna would be a huge steel structure made to be mounted on top of a tower. The engineering that went into these was amazing because it would not only radiate but it would need to be a solid steel structure, in this case 50’ high, that you could climb on and it had a beacon on top.

So he was sitting on the antenna was on low power, which in this case was 35,000 watts coming out of the transmitter. This was considered safe at that time, can you believe it? This was considered safe for someone to site on the antenna to change out the beacon. This was considered a normal day at work.

Bruce didn’t have any real pain right away, he just felt really hot for the middle of February. He didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary until he got home that night, then the fever hit. He had to take an ice bath to break the fever. This was the beginning of so many problems that he still deals with today.

Back then he didn’t have RF alert meters, RF suits, or anything like that. Today you have the opportunity to prepare for the unseen hazards of RF radiation by preparing yourself with those tools. Bruce is telling this story so that no other human goes through the pain and suffering he has endured. OK, get it, he is trying to help all of you by sharing his experience. Listen carefully if you want to live a healthy life. Quality of life matters.

Listen to the interview, Bruce lead a climber’s life, not always perfect but he learned on the way. If you are new to this business you will learn a lot about the lifestyle. You can learn from his mistakes and set yourself up for success. Come up with a plan that will work for you. Think about how you can improve your life by reviewing the safety and lifestyle changes that will make you a better person in the long run. Bruce did this to help you all live a better life, he is here to help.

Let me know what you think. I am here to get the word out. I have a book for new climbers here. Like me on Facebook!

Here are some links, old and new, that will shed some light on RF Radiation poisoning.

1980 News on RF Radiation

2013 News on RF Radiation

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Interview, Part 2, with Dr Bridgette “Gette” Hester, founder of the Hubble Foundation

Beware! The Tick Attacks! Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Interview with Kevin Kidd.

A Few Notes, Questions, and Thank You Gette! Blog Cast, Podcast.

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