About Us
In 1989, a group of Wisconsin loggers and other representatives formed the Forest Industry Safety & Training Alliance, Inc (FISTA). FISTA is located in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and is a nationally recognized, non-profit safety training and education organization for the forest industry. FISTA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization governed by a twelve-member Board of Directors. In business since 1991, FISTA is committed to providing quality training at a fair cost. In Wisconsin, FISTA provides training and education for forest industry personnel and maintains a database of these individuals for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®). All SFI® training is conducted in accordance with the annual SFI® Training Standard. To read more about Wisconsin's SFI® classes, click here.
Although FISTA was originally formed to address the high accident rate of the Wisconsin logger, other groups also expressed the need for training. Over the years, FISTA's focus and training programs expanded into many areas to address the diverse needs of loggers, foresters, landowners, and others in forest management.
FISTA is most well-known for the hands-on Chainsaw Safety Training Program. This program can be conducted in any location across the country and tailored to meet your organizations specific needs. FISTA provides training for a wide variety of groups including utility companies, landowners, highway departments, recreational organizations, correctional facilities, conservation districts, municipalities, loggers, foresters, and more.
FISTA's Mission Statement
FISTA provides safety training and education to workers in forestry-related industries to:
- Decrease the number and severity of logging related accidents
- Improve productivity and professionalism
- Promote awareness and practice of environmentally sound principles