The STIHL Story behind the “Big Miracle”

By Wayne Sutton, Territory Manager, STIHL Northwest



Copyright © 2012 Universal Pictures

By now you probably have heard about the recent blockbuster hit “Big Miracle.” What you may not know is the role that STIHL played in the real life events on which the movie is based.

It all started back in October 1988. Several news stories aired describing a small pod of gray whales caught in the Beaufort Sea near Point Borrow, Alaska.  An early winter freeze had closed off the waterway leading out to sea. If something wasn’t done soon, the whales would die when the ice closed off available breathing areas.
 
An Alaskan native noticed the trapped whales and, with the help of local villagers, sliced holes in the ice using chain saws to create a series of breathing holes that led to open water.  But with only a few saws and volunteers they weren’t able to keep the holes from freezing over in the 20-degree temperatures. 

Alaska Daily News photo.

The plight of the whales quickly became a national media event, and companies around  the country started looking for ways to help. One such company was Omark Corporation out of Portland, Ore. They put together a team of expert chain saw handlers and planned on sending them north to help the Point Borrow villagers’ in their efforts.


Back then, I owned Wayne’s Saw Shop in Amboy, Wash.  I remember getting a call from Dudley Hollis, one of the Omark specialists.  He and the team were headed to Alaska that night and wanted to know if I could get him at least 10 professional saws.  I didn’t hesitate. I called my employees and told them to meet me at my store where we assembled every 084 and 038 chain saw we had.   Dudley met us at the store and picked up the equipment on his way to the airport.

The next several days were tough as we waited for any news of what had happened with the whales. Then a special media announcement aired on television about two surviving whales that made it through to open sea – all thanks to the efforts of the teams of volunteers. Soon after we got a visit from the Omark team, and they shared the pictures they’d taken while cutting mile long stretches of holes in the ice using STIHL chain saws.  I can tell you that it felt great to have had even a small part in this amazing operation. 

Little did I know that 24 years later I would get to re-live the event.  I am now a territory manager for STIHL Northwest, and early last year I received an email from Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for STIHL Inc.  A production company in Hollywood was filming a story about a whale rescue and, in the interest of being accurate, was trying to identify the brand of saws that had been used.  Roger knew they were STIHL and sent me a series of photos and information to get model numbers. When I clicked on the attachments, I was shocked – these were the photos from the monumental 1988 Alaska event. I immediately responded to Roger and told him, “Not only can I tell you the models of those saws, I can tell you how many there were and their serial numbers too – I sold them!”

 

Wayne with saws used in the movie

Roger passed along the information, and the production company was thrilled.  As it turned out in addition to modern saws they wanted to use actual vintage saws in the movie to stay as authentic as possible. Roger knew I was an avid chain saw collector and asked me if I could find some of the vintage saws. I was able to pull several together from my own collection and additional help from Dan Hull of Pacific STIHL and Dave Bulger of STIHL Northwest.

So, in the end I got to be part of this great event twice.  I encourage everyone to see the movie. It is a tribute to the good we can achieve when we all work together.  And if you want to see the actual chain saws used in the movie they are now a part of the Wayne’s Chain Saw Museum collection. Stop by if you are in town.

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For more information or to view movie trailers visit http://www.everybodyloveswhales.com And check out this local review of the movie, “Virginia Beach, take note, STIHL chain saws figure prominently in saving the whales!!”

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

At STIHL we stand behind our products and our commitment to quality and the safety of our customers. We constantly monitor the quality of our products and if a problem is identified we take steps to rectify the issue.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, STIHL Incorporated is recalling certain model MS 391 powerheads manufactured between February 2011 and June 2011. These products were sold throughout the United States by STIHL Dealers.


THIS RECALL IS FOR SAFETY REASONS!

About 3000 units are involved in this recall.  Specifically, it appears that in some units the flywheel may be cracked. This could potentially cause the flywheel to fail while the engine is running and, in certain circumstances, potentially result in injury to the user or bystanders. STIHL has received no reports of injuries at this time.

Learn more about the MS 391 powerhead recall, including the serial numbers involved.

Valentine’s Gift Ideas from STIHL

Flowers? Really? Candy and balloons? How predictable. Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary Valentine’s Day gift for that extraordinary Valentine? Give that special guy or gal in your life something memorable this Valentine’s Day with a gift from STIHL:

STIHL MS 230 C-BE Duro Chain Saw

What says love better than a chain saw? The STIHL MS 230 C-BE features STIHL PICCO™ Duro 3 saw chain. Carbide-tipped cutters on this saw chain stay sharp longer to reduce chain-sharpening maintenance. With less sharpening and up to four times the edge life, this is a gift that says long-term commitment.

STIHL Comfort Fit Protective Glasses

You get lost in his or her eyes. Get something that protects them. Designed with comfort in mind, STIHL Comfort Fit Protective Glasses provide outstanding protection with a pressure-free fit. A soft nosepiece provides comfort while rubber insert temple tips reduce slippage. A curved lens with side window offers a panoramic view while providing 99% UV protection. Choose from a variety of styles and colors or get one of each (black frame with red or blue mirror lenses; or tortoise shell frame with coffee or grey lenses).

STIHL MotoMix® Pre-Mixed Fuel

Tell them that their time is important – if they aren’t mixing fuel and oil, there’s more time to spend with you. Ethanol-free and pre-mixed, STIHL MotoMix® is a non-aromatic fuel blended with a fully synthetic and highly biodegradable two-cycle engine oil, so it is easier on the environment. It comes in a convenient 39.5-ounce metal container containing 32 ounces (1 quart) of MotoMix. And adding a six pack of it to the purchase of a piece of STIHL equipment could double your limited warranty.

Treat your Valentine to a STIHL Battery KombiSystem tool – one battery powers many tools

 

No Gasoline, No Emissions, No Power Cords.

It’s better than a box of chocolates. With 36-volt lithium-ion power, the STIHL Battery KombiSystem eliminates fuel costs and exhaust emissions while still delivering the power needed to get the job done. Consider one of these Battery KombiSystem tools this Valentine’s Day:

• STIHL FSA 65 curved-shaft trimmer – Eight times quieter than its gasoline-powered equivalent, this trimmer is ideal for densely populated or noise-sensitive areas.

• The STIHL BGA 85 handheld blower has excellent blowing performance, delivering an air velocity of 102 MPH at the nozzle, and because it runs quieter and with no fumes, you can get those chores done while they’re having breakfast in bed.

• The portable and lightweight STIHL MSA 160 C-BQ chain saw combines the innovative STIHL Lithium-Ion battery technology with the legendary quality of STIHL chain saws. This chain saw can even be used for indoor projects.

STIHL Officially Licensed Merchandise

What better way to say you care than to outfit that special STIHL fan with genuine STIHL apparel! You can reserve online and pick up at a participating dealer through STIHL Express.

World of Concrete 2012 Wrap-Up

Glitz, cameras and concrete! Recently, the 2012 international World of Concrete trade show was appropriately held in Las Vegas. With more than 1,300 exhibiting companies and 50,000 attendees, the floors were bustling with workers from the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries.

At the show, STIHL unveiled an industry first. The new TS 500i STIHL Cutquik® is the first electronically controlled fuel-injection system on handheld outdoor power equipment. This lightweight product offers more power and an increased cutting speed than previous models, while allowing for a greater fuel economy. What happens in Vegas, doesn’t need to stay in Vegas! Check out this product to cut through your toughest jobs.

The excitement of the trade show was not constrained by the Las Vegas Convention Center’s walls. The 2012 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® was held right outside the venue. With a time restraint of 60 minutes, speed was the key to winning this bricklaying competition, but points were deducted if quality standards were not met. The results of the event determined who of the 21 competing masons was “The World’s Best Bricklayer.”

As a Gold Sponsor of this event, STIHL awarded TS 420 A-EWC Cutquik® cut-off machines and other prizes to the top winners. Leif Reints was named the 2012 world’s best bricklayer.


Visit our World of Concrete 2012 album on our Facebook page for more pictures of both events.

STIHL Dealer Takes Top Spot at Indie Awards

Howard Brothers Hardware owners
Doug Howard (L) and John Howard

We’d like to congratulate one of our independently owned dealers for being recognized with a national top small business honor.

Thanks to their outstanding dedication to customers, employees and community members, Howard Brothers Hardware of Georgia was recognized as Independent Business of the Year with more than 45,000 votes, by Independent We Stand, a national movement which supports independently owned local businesses across the U.S.

The STIHL dealer, which was one of four finalists for the award out of hundreds of entries, rallied its customers and fan base at all three of their store locations to vote, and the results were overwhelming.

"The secret weapon in our toolbox is that we know our customers. They know and trust us,” says Andy Darnell, marketing manager for Howard Brothers Hardware. “This commitment to our people has impacted many individuals and families who, in turn, impact the community more than we could ever do ourselves.”

The ‘Indie Award’ win for Howard Brothers also gave them yet another opportunity to give back – the company donated the website design prize from Launch Interactive to Mummphy’s Book Nook. They also announced that they would split the $1,000 STIHL product voucher between the other four finalists: Tandem Wine & Cheese Bar of Bothell, Wash., Maple Ave Restaurant of Vienna, Va., Mummphy’s Book Nook of Elkhart, In., and Superior Woodcraft of Doylestown, Pa.

The Howard brothers, Doug and John, will be taking advantage of their other winnings – a search engine optimization package from SEO Bounty, a five-minute video to be featured on the Independent We Stand YouTube site and a two night/three day stay at an independently owned Virginia Beach, Va., resort.

STIHL has been a proud supporter of the Independent We Stand movement since the organization began – and supported the buy local movement even before that. In the United States, STIHL Inc. has retailed its products through independently owned servicing dealers for nearly 40 years.