After ten days of intense classroom learning and scenario application, the thirty members of my WFR class managed to pass a written and practical examination. On the Monday night before our exam, we were put through a search and rescue night scenario. We were split into teams and sent off into the fields around the school. During our hike, one of the members of our team "broke his tib/fib" and we had to treat him in the field using only the supplies we had brought with us. We made a wonderful splint out of some bandanas and a crazy creek chair.
Once we had treated our first patient, I was in charge of "spicing things up" and had a "seizure" an hour into our rescue. By the time I had regained consciousness and we had begun to build a shelter it was 10:30 at night and below 40 degrees. This practicum taught us that wilderness rescues are not only about the injuries but the treatment that happens throughout the hours after the initial injury.
On Wednesday, after we had all been initiated as WFRs, the graduate students were allowed to move into their cabins. It was sweet relief to be able to take things out of the car after having lived out of bags for two weeks.
I am now fully moved into my cabin and besides the scurrying of mice in my loft, the grumbling of the buffalo outside my door, and the swishing bats as I walk to the bathroom, it is home sweet home. Joking aside, it is a cozy space which I will enjoy for the next year.
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