So far this week, I've fallen off a horse named Thunderbolt, gone into respiratory distress from a mountain bike ride after catching a chest cold on a long plane flight, suffered from a kinked airway, and been found unconscious beneath a bench on campus. I've given CPR to a patient who was (unfortunately) recently deceased, helped an asthma patient, and assisted a wildland firefighter after heat exhaustion. I've learned how to backboard a patient, splint a limb, and clear a spine. I've assessed case studies of a climbing fall, a fall down a long snow slope, asthma while portaging, and burns from a cooking stove. And yesterday was only Day 3.
Today is our first quiz and our first major simulation. That's when the real makeup and fake blood come out, although they're not giving us any information about what the simulation will entail.
My classmates are a motley crew of folks- we have a 17 year old high school kid and a 55 year old gentleman. We have three women and fifteen men; a couple ex-military, several college students, and a Red Cross instructor. Since we're spending ten hours a day together, we're getting to know each other in that deep-but-still-superficial way; I don't know their favorite colors or the names of their family members, but I can tell you how most of my classmates respond to stressful situations. Who leads, who follows, and who doesn't know yet which they're better at. It's been really interesting watching everyone (even myself) change over the past two days. Most of us have gone from staring in wide-eyed wonder at the first fifteen acronyms they threw at us to using those acronyms with ease and staring in wide-eyed wonder at the next fifteen they threw at us. We're all becoming more comfortable with both the lingo and the concepts; I'll be interested to see us next Saturday afternoon. Will we be competent? Ready? We'll see.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
WFR Day 2
Yesterday started off with a guest CPR instructor. British gentleman; you may have seen his work before.
Day 2 of WFR was just as intense as Day 1, and I expect the trend to continue. The biggest distinction between WFR and a basic First Aid class is that WFR is training us to keep our heads and respond to unknown situations. Both days so far have included short simulations with unknown patients having unknown ailments. So far, we've simulated respiratory distress, trauma, shock due to dehydration, and even death. (Not only is this a responder class, it's also turning out to be an acting class- makeup and everything.) It's pretty neat how adding the element of the unknown really gets your adrenaline flowing, even without the addition of real blood, real patients, and real problems. It's pretty easy to see how that could have an exponential effect that complicates a real situation. (We'll get to start experiencing that tomorrow with our first big simulation.)
Today is the nervous system and musculoskeletal system, as well as how to get people out of the woods (splinting, moving, backboards, etc). I'm still hopeful that we'll have so much information in us by the end of class that I'll stop seeing everybody as a potential walking disaster. *grin*
Day 2 of WFR was just as intense as Day 1, and I expect the trend to continue. The biggest distinction between WFR and a basic First Aid class is that WFR is training us to keep our heads and respond to unknown situations. Both days so far have included short simulations with unknown patients having unknown ailments. So far, we've simulated respiratory distress, trauma, shock due to dehydration, and even death. (Not only is this a responder class, it's also turning out to be an acting class- makeup and everything.) It's pretty neat how adding the element of the unknown really gets your adrenaline flowing, even without the addition of real blood, real patients, and real problems. It's pretty easy to see how that could have an exponential effect that complicates a real situation. (We'll get to start experiencing that tomorrow with our first big simulation.)
Today is the nervous system and musculoskeletal system, as well as how to get people out of the woods (splinting, moving, backboards, etc). I'm still hopeful that we'll have so much information in us by the end of class that I'll stop seeing everybody as a potential walking disaster. *grin*
Sunday, March 6, 2011
WFR This Week
The Wilderness First Responder class started yesterday. Our syllabus is packed full; I have to learn how to deal with homework again, if only for a week! I'm glad I started reading the text when I did, because we have at least a few chapters to read each night, in addition to work from a couple of other books that we received today.
Our instructors, Daz and Jeff, are great- very knowledgeable, engaging, and fun. We've already had a chance to start discussing some of our Camp-specific needs and concerns with them, and hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have a good idea of what we'll need (and what we won't) to be able to respond to emergencies in our neck of the woods.
The class will be partly in the classroom but mostly outside for a lot of in-depth, hands-on drills. Yesterday covered scene size-up and initial assessment, along with respiratory and cardiac emergencies, and the entire week will focus on differentiating between emergencies we can handle ourselves and emergencies that require, and I quote, "bright lights, cold steel, and machines that go 'ping.'" I've got to tell you: after Day 1, I'm worried that I'm going to see potential emergencies everywhere! I'm sure that fear will settle down by the end of the class.
Although the rain held off yesterday, we're not so lucky today. We woke up to the pitter-patter of big heavy raindrops this morning, and the forecast says it's supposed to stick around all day. I'll keep you posted on how the week goes. In the meantime, here's another fun tidbit. WD-40 can apparently be applied to the skin to aid in the removal/cleaning of certain toxins. Who knew? Between that and duct tape, I have half a medical kit in the trunk of my car!
Our instructors, Daz and Jeff, are great- very knowledgeable, engaging, and fun. We've already had a chance to start discussing some of our Camp-specific needs and concerns with them, and hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have a good idea of what we'll need (and what we won't) to be able to respond to emergencies in our neck of the woods.
The class will be partly in the classroom but mostly outside for a lot of in-depth, hands-on drills. Yesterday covered scene size-up and initial assessment, along with respiratory and cardiac emergencies, and the entire week will focus on differentiating between emergencies we can handle ourselves and emergencies that require, and I quote, "bright lights, cold steel, and machines that go 'ping.'" I've got to tell you: after Day 1, I'm worried that I'm going to see potential emergencies everywhere! I'm sure that fear will settle down by the end of the class.
Although the rain held off yesterday, we're not so lucky today. We woke up to the pitter-patter of big heavy raindrops this morning, and the forecast says it's supposed to stick around all day. I'll keep you posted on how the week goes. In the meantime, here's another fun tidbit. WD-40 can apparently be applied to the skin to aid in the removal/cleaning of certain toxins. Who knew? Between that and duct tape, I have half a medical kit in the trunk of my car!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Our Photo Contest Winner!
It's the moment everyone has been waiting for! (At least, it's the moment that five people have been waiting for...)
The winner of Red River's 125th-anniversary photo contest is Dick Barclay with his photo of a Misty Morning on Island Pond. This photo garnered votes from half of our Panel of Expert Judges. Congratulations, Dick!
The winning photographer, as you all know, receives a weekend for two at Red River. The voting was so close, though, even among the judges at the end, that the remaining four finalists will also be awarded gift certificates.
A $50 gift certificate will be awarded to Bill Stanton for his photo On the Way Back from North Little Black, which garnered the second highest number of votes (and "toss up" votes from two of our judges who ultimately voted for the misty morning):
$25 gift certificates will be awarded to our remaining three finalists. First is Jim Hudon for his painting Back from Island Cabin:
Next is Lis Henry, for her Boathouse in the Mirror photo:
And last (but not least; I'm just going in order of the original entry numbers!) is Dave Elliott for the trout that was too good to pass up:
Again, my wholehearted thanks to everyone who entered and everyone who voted. I hope you guys had fun with it- if you did, drop me a comment and let me know. I'd like to make this an annual tradition, so keep that in mind this summer, and keep your cameras handy!
The winner of Red River's 125th-anniversary photo contest is Dick Barclay with his photo of a Misty Morning on Island Pond. This photo garnered votes from half of our Panel of Expert Judges. Congratulations, Dick!
The winning photographer, as you all know, receives a weekend for two at Red River. The voting was so close, though, even among the judges at the end, that the remaining four finalists will also be awarded gift certificates.
A $50 gift certificate will be awarded to Bill Stanton for his photo On the Way Back from North Little Black, which garnered the second highest number of votes (and "toss up" votes from two of our judges who ultimately voted for the misty morning):
$25 gift certificates will be awarded to our remaining three finalists. First is Jim Hudon for his painting Back from Island Cabin:
Next is Lis Henry, for her Boathouse in the Mirror photo:
And last (but not least; I'm just going in order of the original entry numbers!) is Dave Elliott for the trout that was too good to pass up:
Again, my wholehearted thanks to everyone who entered and everyone who voted. I hope you guys had fun with it- if you did, drop me a comment and let me know. I'd like to make this an annual tradition, so keep that in mind this summer, and keep your cameras handy!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Camp Needs One of These.
I think this chandelier, made by a UK design team called Scarbetti, would be perfect in the lodge. Don't you agree?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Yard Sale.
More fun with the Wilderness First Responder textbook. The authors start off the Trauma section by describing your basic skiing accident:
"Slow deceleration can dissipate a lot of energy. The high-speed skier who falls on a steep, open slope can dissipate his kinetic energy while sliding several hundred meters to a stop. Ski patrollers call this a yard sale because ski equipment and clothing tend to dissipate as well."
Unfortunately, I think our skiing days are over for the winter down here in the good ol' Commonwealth of Virginia, but they'll be alive and well for a while longer in Maine. Fear not, though- fishing season will be here before we know it!
(As a side note, there are two types of skiers. Those who have had a yard sale at some point, and liars.)
"Slow deceleration can dissipate a lot of energy. The high-speed skier who falls on a steep, open slope can dissipate his kinetic energy while sliding several hundred meters to a stop. Ski patrollers call this a yard sale because ski equipment and clothing tend to dissipate as well."
Unfortunately, I think our skiing days are over for the winter down here in the good ol' Commonwealth of Virginia, but they'll be alive and well for a while longer in Maine. Fear not, though- fishing season will be here before we know it!
(As a side note, there are two types of skiers. Those who have had a yard sale at some point, and liars.)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Votes Are Tallied!
As I've said before, thank you so much to everyone who entered a photo in our 125th-anniversary photo contest and to everyone who voted and truly made it a contest! The five photos with the most votes are as follows:
These five will now be judged by our Panel of Experts, and I'll announce the winner on Saturday. (Since Saturday is the first day of my WFR course, however, please forgive me if the announcement comes at the end of the day. I signed up for the course quite a while after I wrote the rules for the contest, and I didn't realize they overlapped.) As I said, I'm not giving myself a vote since I know who sent me each photo; my vote will be cast for the photo that received the most votes from you guys.
Best of luck to our five finalists!
Entry 1- On the Way Back from North Little Black
Entry 2- Back from the Island
Entry 5- A Misty Morning on Island Pond
Entry 10- Boathouse in the Mirror
Entry 19- Too Good to Pass Up
These five will now be judged by our Panel of Experts, and I'll announce the winner on Saturday. (Since Saturday is the first day of my WFR course, however, please forgive me if the announcement comes at the end of the day. I signed up for the course quite a while after I wrote the rules for the contest, and I didn't realize they overlapped.) As I said, I'm not giving myself a vote since I know who sent me each photo; my vote will be cast for the photo that received the most votes from you guys.
Best of luck to our five finalists!
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