The Mahoning Valley (Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania) will host a new tower competition over two days in June 2023. The Morning Journal News reported that Tri County Tower and STG Communications are organizing “Tough Tower,” open for tower technicians to compete in various challenges that simulate daily tasks, including installing antenna systems and rigging.
Additionally, the event will include a rescue component similar to an existing competition in Phoenix, AZ. Some Tri County Tower employees recently competed in the Arizona event, and CEO Chris Thomas said, “These guys right here in the Valley, when put up against top-notch guys all over the country, we come in the top few percent every time. We have all this talent right here in the Valley, and that’s one of the reasons we want to put on this competition.”
In preparation for the event on June 10-11, 2023, Thomas said that all teams must be certified by the National Association of Tower Erectors. The Morning Journal News reported that Tri County Tower, a fixture of the Mahoning Valley since 1982, already has a 60-foot tall training tower ready for the competition and might erect another structure.
Thomas, who took the company’s helm in 2018, said the current tower is utilized during a tower technician’s first day on the job, including hanging off the tower mid-air, to ensure they’re comfortable with heights. “Climbing towers is just how they get to work,” he said. “Once they’re up there, their work is very intricate and delicate, and it’s high stakes. If they mess up, there are huge consequences.”
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