What a Great Event!  Wilderness First Aid Training

By Gary Bowers - Training Co-Coordinator

The TN Chapter of the Sierra Club held its first annual Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Training the weekend of May 3rd. Participants arrived on the evening of Friday May 2nd at the Lost Cove Campground south of Sparta, TN and set up camp. After putting up our tents, several of us spent time around the bond fire getting to know each other.

Lost Cove had been chosen by training co-coordinator, Katherine Pendleton, after considerable research. The decision was based on: a central location in the state, an excellent "open" pavilion for the training to be held at for an excellent price, and very accommodating campground management. The facilities turned out to be exactly what we needed. Our instructors from Stonehearth Outdoor Learning Opportunities (SOLO) were very complimentary of Katherine's arrangements. Katherine had also arranged for dinner reservations at a very nice restaurant on Saturday evening.

Eleven participants spent Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM until 5 PM in a combination of class room training at the pavilion followed by "in the field" hands on scenarios: a chance to apply learning to pseudo real situations. The weekend instruction covered the anatomy of a crisis, the correct procedure to protect yourself and others on your trip, while caring for the injured, the patient assessment survey, vital signs, the physical exam, shock, blisters, burns, hypothermia, frostbite, lightning, allergies, muscular skeletal injuries (ie, sprains and strains), fractures, splints, dislocations, to name only some of the key areas that were covered.

At the end of the day on Sunday, following a written test, eleven proud outdoors individuals received their wilderness first aid certification good for two years. The participants and had good things to say about the training facilities, the SOLO instructors, and the food.

As co-coordinator, I provided the mid morning and mid afternoon snacks as well as the lunch for the participants and the instructors. Having attended a SOLO WFA class last summer and received my two year certification at that time, I found just sitting in and listening to be a really great refresher for what I learned last year.

Based on feedback from the newly certified students, Katherine and I plan to ask the Chapter to offer this wilderness first aid training class again next year. The feed back is shown below:

"An excellent course-very informative-very knowledgeable creative instructors-a must for all trip leaders or anyone who hikes outside organized trips." -- Miram McClendon

"There is no way that anyone should venture into the backcountry without a basic level of competence in first aid. The WFA course should be at the top of everyone's skill acquisition wish list. Simply outstanding." -- Tim Scholl

"A highly recommended course…essential learning for anyone who ventures into the backcountry, and a great group of folks with similar interests.  I thoroughly enjoyed it." -- Robin Johnston

"Gary, I want to thank you and the Sierra Club for providing the Wilderness First Aid training opportunity this past weekend. It is an excellent course. The material provides an effective framework for addressing an emergency situation and increases my confidence that I may actually may be able to make a difference for someone in need. Again thank you, and I look forward to other opportunities to expand on what I have learned. There definitely is much more I would like to know." -- Jim Malia

Website authored & designed by Middle Tennessee Group Volunteers.

 To contact Group regarding the content of this web site send email to MTG Webmaster