March 10, 2020
Once again, (in a scenario) a cacophony of screams split the air, but this time, the only light is that of headlamps flashing in the night. The victims? Four teenage girls in a stolen truck. The mechanism of injury? A crash. Eventually, the hysterical screams quelled, and the victims were treated for their various injuries: femur fractures, rib injuries, and hypothermia, among others.
In this scenario, we utilized the various skills we had learned during our day in the classroom due to the intermittent rain showers (abnormal for California this time of year). Topics covered today included bites and stings, frostbite, altitude sickness, lightning, and a review of femur traction splints and making a litter (a back-country built backboard for transport).
Our skills were also put to the test earlier in the day when (in a scenario) several students found themselves stuck in a hole in the eucalyptus grove overnight. When they awoke they were hypothermic. The reality of the scenario was highlighted when we discovered we were in a stand of poison oak. (We all took care and no one has poison oak!)
At the end of this very long day we look forward to a good night’s sleep in preparation for our final scenario on Wednesday night.
These mock scenarios help students earn their Wilderness First Responder certification.
Click here to view all of the 2020 ECS blogs.
