Wilderness First Aid ala Cubmaster

This weekend I tool the Wilderness First Aid class through REI and Wilderness Medicine Institute in Portland, OR.  It was located at the Audubon Society of Portland.

I am still a Cubmaster and Cubscouts don’t go to Philmont or do high adventure.  So, why did I take it?  I took this class since we do not do high adventure.  Well, several reasons.  First, I like to be prepared.   Knowing how to respond is better than NOT knowing.  I took First Aid and CPR in December 2010.  (Need to re-certify).  Outside of these classes, the last real class I took was in 5th Grade, which was 1978.  My Dad was on the Red Lodge Ski Patrol for 10-12 years when I was growing up.  I also believe even earlier too.  I was always the victim during the on-hill trainings.  So, I picked up a few things here and there.

Being a Cubmaster, and being out the Scouts, I am charged with either safety.   Also, in our Pack we have now held two First Aid Pack Meetings.  Once each year.  This helps with next year’s planning.

So, I am not really trained in First Aid and how to respond.  With these trainings, I am now MORE prepared on how to respond and help.    I took away several key items that I know will help me if I am faced with an emergency.

I know how to approach an emergency scene and those injured and not become one.  I know how to do a patient assessment, what to look for, what to ask and how to do it.  The First Aid/CPR class that I took at the Red Cross taught me the basics of what to do for various injuries.  A lot of that came back during the weekend.

However, WFA while focusing on some of these aspects, worked to get me  to realize about Evacuation, Mobilization and Spinal care.   We learned how to move, when to move and why.  We worked in teams of two, 8 and sometimes solo.  We realized that Urban response is minutes to hours.  While Wilderness is hours to days for evacuation and response.

The Instructors showed us that a lot of what we bring into the backcountry with us, is very usable.  Sleeping Bags, Trekking Poles, Tarps and Thermarests.  We talked about the First Aid Kits for Backcountry compared to Urban.

The scenarios that we were put through were very enlightening.   Since this blog is about Scouting, this was classic EDGE Method.   Yes, I sat in class and saw what the Instructors did.  They used us victims to explain/show others what the issue was.  Then we went out and did it.  Afterwards we did a 360/debrief.  Yes, it was just like what Boy Scouts is like.  Cubscouts is a little different since there is a bit more hand holding.  (Lumping Tigers to Webelos II together).  During these scenarios, I realized that I did not remember all of what was taught.  I goofed up a lot, but I was able to stop, refocus and continue.  My partner was there to help as well since we switched off.  It was a learning experience all around.  Made me realize that practice practice practice is a great thing.  It felt really good to be the student learning something that I had no real clue about.

The laceration that is pictured on here has a bandage from OpSite.  There is another brand called Tegaderm.  It is a waterproof, but breathable see-through bandage that can last for seven days.  WMI has a similar package with the strips in there to help close a wound.  It’s a great thing to have since you do not need to undo dressing in some cases to look at it as you would with gauze.

I did go into this class thinking that I was not right for this class and that I needed others before this.  I was wrong.  There were people in there that had no experience and wanted to take a class to those who are Scoutmasters and those who are recertified for the Wilderness First Responder level.  It was a good group.

The real funny part is that I learned that a fellow Beaver was wait listed for this class.  He got on the same weekend at the Red Cross course across town for $100 less.  That is the only downside to this weekend.  From what Jerry wrote and what we talked about after the first day,  each course was staffed with excellent instructors and material covered was great.  Jerry needed the class since he and the Troop are going to Philmont.  Read his account.  I fully agree with what he says as well.  It’s a great 16 hours of instruction that will help you when called upon.

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Good Deed Done Daily

Today, I did two things that qualifies for my Good Deed Done Daily.  The first was to re-certify with the BSA for Youth Protection.  In an earlier post about YPT, I talked about it.  Today, I needed to check and make sure that I was current. I have lapsed by two months.  Not good for a Scouter, even worse for the District Training Chair!  Our District Chairman has asked us to bring a printout of it to tonight’s meeting.  One thing that I noticed is that the BSA has re-done the YPT and is really very nicely done.  I learned something from it.

Secondly, I registered for the Wilderness First Aid Responder class via REI and WMI.  REI is holding it and WMI is putting it on.  I am not going to Philmont or any other High Adventure Camping.  I will be camping in Montana this Summer and am working to get out more.  I figure that any First Aid Training that I can get will be well worth it.  I had gotten CPR & First Aid trained by the Red Cross in 2010 during Christmas.  I had wanted to take WFA ever since then.

Finally, and maybe not a GDDD, but I finally found that an author that I have read is coming to Portland.  It’s Richard Louv.  It’s a Friday night, but I am going since what I have written about lately is about getting out into Nature.  If you want to come to ‘Richard Louv presents The Nature Principle at the Oregon Zoo‘, follow the link and come hear a great topic.

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PLC #100dayofscouting

Today on my twitter feed erupted a lively back and forth about the Philmont Leadership Challenge. This is between myself, Arlen Ward, Phil Peck and the new guy Michael Forner.  I had no clue as to what it is.  I thought it was a Patrol Leaders Conference at Philmont.  Ok, so why would a bunch of Cubscout Leaders wanna go to that?  I get the Philmont attraction, but….

As the tweeting went on between a couple of Beavers and……Bob Whites… it got serious.  I was supposed to go to Philmont this summer with the family for “Strictly for Cubmasters”.  That did not pan out once I took on the position of Troop Guide for this Spring’s Wood Badge course.  I think that I would have met up with Arlen if I had gone.
That being the case, this course looks pretty interesting.  While I am just getting my head around what this is all about and what you actually do, it looks like it’s ALL outside with a lot more practical work than sit on your butt and listen.  As it states on the website “There is no classroom work in this course! The Philmont Leadership Challenge (PLC) is built around a series of modules emphasizing advanced outdoor skills, including COPE, Wilderness First Aid, Advanced GPS use, and Search and Rescue Techniques. “ If that is the case, that is very cool.  My question is: Do we get certified in Wilderness First Aid as well?

My two or three obstacles are/will be: Time off from Work.  Getting permission from my wife and finally getting physically fit for this ordeal.   So, we will see.  I will be starting the physical part this weekend and after I put down these Girl Scout Thin Mints.

The only other obstacle is that our self appointed Patrol Leader Arlen has already started the ball rolling saying that we are going next year.  Ok, Mr Patrol Leader…..gotta get your Beads first!  Oh, and when Phil & I fly into Denver, you better be on time to pick us up!  (Michael already lives in the area).

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Two Dads XLVIII of C of #100Daysofscouting

Well, it’s not like that!  If your old enough to have lived in the 80′s then you remember this TV Show.  If you don’t, look up “My Two Dads”.

This weekend was Spring Break in Oregon.  My family and another went off to the Oregon Coast to get away from it all.  Oddly enough the town is called ….OCEANSIDE!  It is right in the perfect area that NO CELL PHONES WORK!  Pretty nice.

So, my friend Nathan and I got tired of hanging out in the house at one point and wanted to get everyone out.  No takers.  Our boys are in Scouts.  Mine is a Bear, his is a Wolf.  Still no takers.  So, we took off by ourselves.  We had a simple simple hike all planned.  The fun this is that his wife is the Wolf Den Leader in another section of town.  She tells me what’s what in her Den/Pack and I tell her how messed up it is.   Her husband is the Treasurer and agrees with me.
Anyway, we got to talking about taking the boys camping and now have it somewhat planned.  It’s not a BSA event, but we have the Two-Deep Leadership thing covered.  What he has done with his son and daughter is make them earn their Backpacks.  They have to go on an overnight with him and camp.  Now, they have a daypack with their stuff.  But once they get through the process of how to camp, how to hike and all the things of what to do and not, they get to pick-out their first Backpack.

I find that really really fun.   It will get us out there and as Nathan puts it “Watching Caveman TV”!  You know, a Fire!

The one other thing (we talked about a lot, but our wives read this blog and I want to keep our marriages happy & healthy!) is the need to take a Wilderness First Aid class.  So, we are now on the look-out for a class that we can take.  I already have First Aid/CPR.

While is was not a real Scouting day or weekend, I did get in some things about Scouting.

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PS: I figured out this new gallery thing on WordPress…interesting…

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First Aid Pack Meeting

Hot off the heals of December, I am planning the January meeting.
The new Cubscout Pack Guide meeting plans for January call for a Pinewood Derby theme.  Our Pack holds the Pinewood Derby later than most, so this meeting is not going to fit.

The latter months just do not seem to fit. What to do….

First Aid Theme.  During this last pack meeting several Dens talked about First Aid, how to be safe, what do to in case of and emergency…..

So, my thought is to work on Emergency Preparedness pin.  I did a meeting about my 10 essentials last year and being prepared is a core ideal within Scouting.  It’s not selling popcorn or trees, it’s knowing what to do when.

My idea is to have several stations within the gym that the boys will work through and gain skills.  In the end, they should have a built an emergency kit that they can have in their backpacks for school, hiking or where ever they go.  I have 6 or 8oz plastic spice jars that I bought for a now defunct BBQ Spice business that can be used.

My one thought is to have our new Den Chiefs help out on this and maybe teach a station.  While, the cubscouts won’t earn the Pin that night, they will be well on their way in earning it. They should however be able to complete it by the end of the year.  I know that our local Red Cross does have First Aid Classes for Cub scouts.  Also, several of our Den Leaders are actually trained in Wilderness First Aid and also one is a Physician’s Assistant.  I am slated to take the First Aid/CPR Red Cross coarse on Dec 27th.

Overall, it’s not about actually having the pin.  It’s about providing an enviroment for the Scouts to learn a skill that they can use.  Even if they do not use it all the time, when it is time to remember, they will know and will be able to help.

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