I'm a woofer.

Or a WFR.

More specifically, a Wilderness First Responder.

Yep. All re-trained, re-certified and ready to go for another three years. For backcountry emergencies big and small.

You get injured out there on the trail--hang nail, pimple, mosquito bite--I can help!

Fortunately, and more seriously, so can many others, thanks to the intensive backcountry medicine training courses put on by SOLO and several other groups, including WMA and WMI.

Last weekend's 16-hour WFR refresher course (I took the full 80-hour course 10 years ago) was hosted by the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School at their L.L. Bean Mountain Center facility tucked deep in the woods in Newry.

The actual instruction was done by SOLO, the Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities, experts in teaching wilderness and emergency medicine for 30 years.

For two very full days our class of about 20 students reviewed and practiced (through a combination of class work and scenarios) everything from patient assessment to the Big Three body systems (respiratory, circulatory and nervous), recognition and treatment of shock, dealing with head injuries, splinting all kinds of fractures from wrists to femurs and much more, all in a wilderness context, utilizing simple tools (i.e. whatever might be on hand while you're out in the woods).

Oh, and CPR, too. The new procedures: A ratio of 30:2 compressions to breaths. That's it.

It was fun and intense and always eye opening. I feel more prepared than ever to handle backcountry emergency situations. I've handled nothing more than a broken wrist, a dislocated shoulder, and some burns and scrapes and the like to date, but who knows? Spend enough time outside and stuff's gonna happen. To you or someone else.

I especially enjoyed the focus on the simulations. There's nothing like coming upon a screaming person in the woods, covered in blood and writhing in pain to jerk you into action. You know its fake but your body and mind are fooled and you go to work IDing the problem and fixing it as best and as quickly as you can.

It's good learning. Thanks SOLO. Special thanks to our instructor Gabe who was patient and knowledgable and skilled with the group process.

And thanks to the nice folks at HIOBS for the cozy digs and the hearty meals.

If you spend any amount of time out in the woods and on the waters you should get yourself at least some basic first aid training. A little goes a long way. You may not ever have to use it but...

What kind of first aid training do you have? Where did you take your course? Have you used your skills in the backcountry?

Emily of MA and Whit of RI display a leg splint.

SOLO instructor Gabe leads a post-scenario discussion.

Ken of NH unraveling a TIP femur splint.

That's me bound up with a burned hand and sprained ankle.

On the way back from the course I stopped in to the nearby Sunday River South Ridge Lodge base area... it won't be long skiers!!!