5 minute read
Superb Support For Safety Instructors
Joanne M. Haas
Joanne M. Haas is the public information officer for the DNR’s Division of Public Safety and Resource Protection.
DNR Outdoor Skills Trainers Make Backing Our Volunteers Job No. 1
Behind every Wisconsin volunteer safety instructor is someone like Kayla Sasse.
Sasse, a native of Lincoln County in north-central Wisconsin, is one of five outdoor skills trainers with the DNR. It’s a job title that’s had more than a few people wrinkling their brow and asking for a definition.
“Yes,” she said with a laugh. “I get asked a lot what that title means and what is it that I do.”
At the most basic level, an outdoor skills trainer, or OST, is a safety specialist who coordinates the recreational safety and education programs taught to youth and adults throughout the state. Courses are taught by hundreds of volunteer safety instructors and focus on four areas: ATV/UTV, snowmobile, boating and hunting.
But what specifically does an OST do?
“The OST’s primary job is to work with the volunteer safety instructors,” said Sasse, a UW-Stevens Point graduate with degrees in forestry recreation and adventure education. “We provide the curriculum — it’s standardized.”
That makes teaching the safety classes easier for the instructors, Sasse added.
“Imagine if every instructor had to make up their own curriculum for the different safety courses. It would be difficult to know where to start,” she said. “We provide all the training, certifications and equipment they need.”
Volunteer safety instructors teach in each region of the state. Some specialize in one area of expertise while others teach in two, three or even all four areas.
The OST team supports each instructor so they can be most effective and also enjoy providing a valuable service in the name of safe outdoor recreation.
Seasonal Changes
Just as most Wisconsinites are familiar with adjusting their layers as the seasons change, the OST team also sees its year-round duties dictated by weather.
“There is a seasonality to being an outdoor skills trainer,” Sasse said. “Spring is event season. That’s when you’ll see us at sports shows and community events.”
The usually slower months of summer offer the OST team valuable time to train instructors. “The focus is basic safety,” Sasse said.
Fall is always busy, with numerous hunting seasons opening from September through November.
“In the winter, we switch to ATV and snowmobile safety classes and helping those volunteer instructors,” Sasse said, adding it’s also a time to check on the equipment used in safety classes.
More, Please
While there are thousands of safety instructors who volunteer their time to ensure outdoor enthusiasts can access basic safety training, Sasse said, “We always need more!”
A major part of the OST job is recruiting instructors to continue the volunteer work that’s so integral to the DNR’s Public Safety and Resource Protection division, which includes the OST team. The division’s top mission is to protect the state’s precious natural resources and ensure the safety of all who enjoy them.
The OST team uses a basket of strategies involving traditional and social media outreach and event appearances to recruit volunteers. Schools also have been a resource, as teachers are already trained in teaching skills and often are well-versed in educating various ages.
“We have recruited safety instructors from several schools across the state,” Sasse said. “We certify teachers through professional development courses.”
Still, she said, the most effective messengers often are the volunteer safety instructors themselves. “A lot of it is word of mouth — the instructors do a lot of the recruitment.”
Sasse, an OST since 2022, is based in Green Bay and handles the state’s northeast region, where she has about 1,000 volunteer safety instructors. There are four other state regions, each with a dedicated OST: Linda Xiong, Eau Claire, west-central; Kimberly Chroninger, Fitchburg, south-central; Spencer Jost, Waukesha, southeast; and Katie Renschen, Rhinelander, northern.
Online And In-Person
There are fewer instructors today than about a decade ago due to the creation of online-only certification options, but not everyone prefers that method.
“There will always be a demand for in-person instructors,” Sasse said. “Those in-person classes are easy to fill.”
The classes can continue to be offered, thanks to the dedication of volunteer safety instructors.
“It is a lot for volunteers,” Sasse said. “But many are committed to running one or more (classes) in their communities, and it helps those communities.”
Learn More
Volunteer safety instructors can get certified by attending a DNR training session or connecting with a local instructor group. The minimum age for full certification is 18, but a junior instructor program welcomes ages 12-17. A background check is required for all new instructors.
Visit the DNR's Outdoor Skills Trainers webpage to learn more and find contact information for the outdoor skills trainer in your region.
