Wilderness First Aid - CAMRA

[Al_HikesAZ]

I completed my first day at the Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association Wilderness First aid Course. I passed both tests with flying colors. If you need any broken bones splinted, I'm your man. Tomorrow will be more difficult with the environmental concerns. Wilderness first aid is so much different than Urban first aid. I'm one of the few people that isn't CAMRA or law enforcement in the class.

This is a first step to my WFR. - Wilderness First Responder. This is a 16 hour course. That is a 40 hour course. I'm thinking I'm too old to go past that for my Wilderness EMT course. I would have preferred to be out hiking in the Supes, but these skills are so important.

I thought I had a basic "understanding" of first aid until my buddy got hurt and push came to shove. This is a real "hands on" experience. We split into groups and one group is the victims and the other is the responders. You don't know it until you do it.

The course is $155 for 16 hours of instruction and well worth every dollar. I learn so much more by doing and being evaluated than I do by reading.

Many of the people in the class are trying to qualify to get on CAMRA or on on the Maricopa County Sheriff Posse.

[azbackpackr]

Good for you! It is so important for hikers to have first aid training that is usable in the wilderness. I just recertified WFR, have been one for 7 years.

[Al_HikesAZ]

The only way to learn this stuff is by doing it. I had never splinted anybody in my iife. I'm just glad their bones weren't broken or they would have been screaming at me. Sure hope I'm better if I actually have to do this for real. I did buy a SamSplint and add it to my medkit. It is light and I hope I carry it for naught.

There is so much to learn about approaching and questioning (AMPLE and SOAP). We had a great time at this. Lots of bad humor I put on my gloves without appropriate context. Lots of other silly faux pas. More than learning by doing, this was learning by screwing up. I think you sort of had to be there.

I did reminisce about what my buddy Will would have said - "Hey this is easy, nobody's shooting at you!!" Hope I never have to learn how to fix a sucking chest wound. God Bless our Jarheads.

[cathymocha]

God Bless our Jarheads.

Yes, 24/7

[azbackpackr]

God Bless our Jarheads.

Yes, 24/7

Amen to that. My son:

[fotogirl53]

What a great looking guy, azbackpackr. You have every reason to be proud!

[azbackpackr]

Hey, thanks!

[Alston_Neal]

Al I admire people like you, very cool.

Liz you must be very proud of your son. He looks like he means business.

[azbackpackr]

Thanks you guys, I sure am proud of him. He knows how to have fun when he is home too. Right now he is over in Afghanistan.