Notes from the field

NOLS Rocky Mountain (RM) Outdoor Educator Semester students are in the midst of their first section: an 80 hour Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course at the NOLS RM Three Peaks Ranch in Boulder, WY.  Joining them on the course are students from all over the states including a few NOLS HQ employees. 

Aaron Bannon, NOLS Wilderness Advocacy Coordinator and WFR student, reports from the field.

As our Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course churns through day seven, spirits are high, the learning curve is intense, and the snow is deep. For six of the last seven days, for eight hours a day or more, we have been learning to keep injured people alive and treat their maladies in the foothills of the rugged Wind River Mountains. The Three Peaks Ranch is an ideal setting for mimicking conditions in the backcountry. Below are some students’ impressions from the first few days of the course.

“What I am impressed with is the enthusiasm of all the students and instructors. Everyone not only wants to be here but also wants to learn, which makes for a dynamic environment. Very nice, I like.” Andy McKicctrick, Montana

“Its awesome to find so many people to work on the same desire to become a wilderness first responder. During our first scenario it was NEGATIVE 20 outside. It really got us going and we realized that anything can happen while in the wilderness.” – Brad Gannon, Ohio

“I just learned in our last class how to stabilize a broken femur with a Thermarest, towels, a ski pole and some webbing. Who needs modern medicine when you have a Thermarest?” Brittany Goble, California

On WMI courses, students gain confidence in their skills by learning through scenarios.

As you can see, there is no shortage of personality in our scrappy band of WFR trainees. The positive, spunky attitude makes our eight-hour days feel a little bit shorter, and our time doing scenarios in the cold, deep snow a little warmer.

-Aaron Bannon

Photos courtesy of Marco Johnson