On June 27, Cranes 101 and Wood’s CRW Corp. will kick off the MCM & CIC Crane Operator Rodeo regional qualifying events in North Oxford, Mass. The organizations have planned a variety of activities, special guests and vendors during the event while crane operators from the area compete for the top score during the skills competition.
The MCM & CIC Crane Operator Rodeo, now in its third year, was developed by publisher Maximum Capacity Media and Crane Institute Certification, a nationally accredited crane operator certification provider, to underscore the need for safe crane operation, which can only be achieved through training and experience.
“Crane operation is no longer a job. It’s a profession. The complexity of cranes requires a broad spectrum of higher mental and physical abilities of a specifically trained professional,” said Jay Sturm, president of Cranes 101, a division of the Sturm Corporation. “I’m concerned that the general public may not understand the level of professionalism that is required by the workers in this industry. To that end, I hope that events like these will educate the public about what it takes to safely operate cranes.”
For the Massachusetts regional event, IUOE Local 4 will supply a crane simulator for operators to prepare for the competition, as well as allow attendees to sit in a crane cab and operate a virtual crane. Additionally, Cranes 101 and Wood’s CRW plan to hire a deejay for the rodeo, hand out crane industry gear and raffle off prizes. While the focus of the event is the crane operator competition, area technical students and the local community are invited to come watch.
Jennifer Sturm, operations manager of Cranes 101, said the top two winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to ConExpo to compete in the national championship, and the third-place winner will receive crane models donated from industry manufacturers. The top two winners also will receive prizes from Crane Institute Certification.
Vendors at the regional qualifying rodeo will include representatives from National Crane, Link-Belt and I&I Sling.
To compete, the operator registration fee is $30. A portion of the proceeds collected will be donated to the Loki Clan Wolf Refuge charity.
Cranes 101, a division of the Sturm Corporation, is a construction and general safety learning center that offers training classes, OSHA 10-hour and OSHA 30-hour, and signalperson and rigger training. Cranes 101 is an authorized testing provider for CIC nationally accredited crane operator certification programs. Jay Sturm, president of Sturm Corp., and John Duff, Cranes 101 safety trainer, are both CIC practical examiners and will serve as judges for this regional event.
Cranes 101’s event partner, Wood’s CRW Corp., is a customer-service driven heavy construction equipment distributor, which operates three equipment divisions with a focus on assisting customers in their purchasing or leasing decisions, evaluating customer trade-ins, and determining equipment maintenance cost, equipment applications, and rate structures. Both companies are hosting and sponsoring the regional qualifying rodeo to extend the MCM & CIC Crane Operator Rodeo’s mission of increasing awareness of safe crane operation, raising the stature and visibility of crane operation as a profession, and recognizing operators for achieving skills required to be successful in the crane and rigging industries.
Other regional qualifying rodeos are scheduled to take place in Syracuse, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Lindale, Alberta; Woodland, Wash.; San Diego, Calif.; Houston, Texas; and Orlando, Fla.
For more information, visit www.craneoperatorrodeo.com.
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