Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2011
On Feb. 4-5, 22 outdoor enthusiasts came to the Field Station and learned how to take care of accidents that happen in the outdoors when away from comforts and hospitals.
People get hurt, sick or lost, the temperature drops, the wind picks up and when there is a crisis, all of those events can produce panic . . . or worse. By learning basic skills, hikers and campers can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one, and maybe even save a life.
Wilderness First Aid (WFA), taught at the Field Station for the first time, was a 16-hour program sponsored by Westminster's Titan Traverse. WFA is the perfect course for outdoor enthusiasts or trip leaders who need basic level first aid training for short trips with family, friends and outdoor groups. And the Field Station was the perfect venue for that course.
The WFA course, that meets the guidelines of the American Camping Association, was taught by Francois Guilleux from Pittsburgh who works for Coalition for Christian Outreach and SOLO, a school of wilderness medicine. The participants in the course were mainly Westminster students and staff, but others from Geneva College and Waynesburg University attended.
The basic skills covered were: Response and Assessment, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Environmental Emergencies, Survival Skills, Soft Tissue Injuries and Medical Emergencies.
Titan Traverse, an outdoor experiential leadership development program, is operated out of Student Affairs with co-coordinators Chrissy Hayes and Amanda Ansorge. Chrissy, in reflecting on the event, said "The Field Station provided a great location for this course. We were able to teach skills in a classroom setting as well as utilize the outdoors for practical skills assessment."
Colin Feeney, a Westminster sophomore from Waterford, described the WFA workshop as "a fun way to spend the weekend while building confidence and comfort in providing first aid in the back country."
Ashley Mountain, a Westminster student from Oakdale, stated, "I realized what to do for others and how to step up to the plate when something goes wrong and to be calm about it."
Titan Traverse includes a ropes course near the College Woods and an indoor climbing wall in the Field House. These are free resources to clubs, organizations, athletic teams and academic classes at Westminster College and can be scheduled with a fee for outside groups at titantraverse@westminster.edu or Box 39, Westminster College. Titan Traverse staff and students are trained to provide a quality and beneficial experience to all groups. The WFA course that leads to a two-year certification was part of that training.
Clarence Harms, Director
Field Station
724-946-6001
harmsc@westminster.edu
