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Imagine you're hiking along in the backcountry of the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan. You are out of cell service range, there are no other people around, and suddenly you fall and twist your knee! The pain is intense and it starts swelling immediately!

 

What started as an ordinary hike has become a survival situation. Wilderness survival stories are some of the most captivating and film-worthy tales of being outside. So many of them begin with the main characters in a beautiful location doing what any other adventurer would be doing-exploring. Something then goes terribly wrong, and often these events are Hollywood versions of true stories. While I don't want to be a movie star, I often find myself envisioning how any adventure I am on could turn into a survival situation.

 

• Will an unexpected storm roll in and cause the trail to flood or a bridge to wash out?
• What if a lightning strike hits a tree near me and a forest fire starts as a result?
• Does that edge of the cliff have a loose rock that might come tumbling down towards me?
• If my canoe tips and I go into the 42 degree water will I have to swim or paddle to safety?
• How will I respond if a mountain lion crosses the trail in front of me?

 

The truth is that all these scenarios are possible! In order to be best prepared for situations like this it is imperative that some form of training and preparation take place prior to even being in the situation! We teach Survival Skills to groups that visit Trees For Tomorrow to give a basis for what students should do if they are ever lost or in a survival scenario. However, this classroom scenario is more on the basis of making a fire or structure if one is forced to unexpectedly spend the night in the woods. When it comes to medical emergencies it is much harder to teach students in a two hour class what to do! Thankfully, our staff are all trained to care for and assist during medical emergencies. A great training that I recently re-attended for advanced medical preparation in a wilderness setting was Wilderness First Responder (WFR).

 

I originally got my WFR (pronounced woof-er) to fulfill a work requirement at a prior job. Many guide-based tourism jobs require this training of their staff. I soon saw the value, as the first certification took me through a five-day-long, scenario-filled test of knowledge and development of skills. The jump up from my basic first aid course was extensive, with a more complete understanding of how your body is reacting in certain situations and how to treat those conditions. The scenarios were intense, with fake wounds, screams of pain, and an hours long "evacuation" of a patient in bushwacking conditions! I fell in love with the content and the way it made me think through how I would actually react in the situation! Additionally, it gave me new confidence in the backcountry that I can face any challenge, anywhere!

 

The recertification process is a condensed version of that original training. The scenarios were also geared towards what my classmates and I are more likely to encounter in our positions. The insights and experiences of others, especially Phil our retired EMT instructor, were eye-opening! It can be easy to imagine worst-case scenarios, but often the worst can be avoided by staying calm, perceiving problems before they occur, and by bringing the proper medical knowledge into unfortunate emergencies. It is also critical to remember that WFR training applies to a wilderness context, which means the circumstances where I am allowed to use my more intense training is regulated to patients being more than 2 hours from a hospital setting. At Trees For Tomorrow most of the time our groups are within that two hours of medical care. However, in those limited circumstances I am confident that the training I have will help me to make good decisions to benefit those I am with and keep everyone as safe as possible. Hopefully, I never have to use my newly refreshed skills, but if the time comes I am ready!

 

Various trainings, including WFR, Wilderness First Aid (WFA), Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) are available year round! For more information or to register for a WFR course visit https://www.wildmed.com/courses/standard/5-day-wilderness-first-responder/.

 

Face laceration make-up at WFR Recert Class, YMCA Camp Pepin, Stockholm, WI

 

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Fake blood can be used in this class to simulate wounds. Often instructors will state, "what you see, is what you get," meaning the wound on my face and fingers in these pictures may not be the most concerning injury sustained!

 

Author Casey Sprotte, Environmental Educator at Trees For Tomorrow

She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling to new places, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, running, and reading, just not all at the same time.  She loves fall, dogs, trying new foods, tea, learning random fun facts, and can solve a Rubix Cube!